Stack: Challenging Path to Budget

HARRISBURG — The current dismal national economic and a projected $2.3 billion deficit in Pennsylvania has put the commonwealth on a challenging path to a balanced budget — a path that includes numerous cuts and a reliance on a proposed federal economic stimulus package.

But today’s budget proposal for the 2009-10 fiscal year is a first step toward addressing those challenges, state Sen. Mike Stack said today.

“This is going to be an extremely difficult year, and we knew this prior to today’s budget proposal because of the worsening economic forecasts,” said Stack. “To say that we’re going to have to roll up our sleeves is an understatement; however, I am committed to working with my colleagues to produce a balanced budget that still invests in education, affordable health care and infrastructure projects.”

Specifically, the senator is encouraged by the budget’s focus on higher education. The budget proposal calls for enacting the Pennsylvania Tuition Relief Act, which would provide public or community college tuition assistance to qualified families earning less than $100,000 a year. There would also be an increase in Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) tuition grants, including funding dedicated to helping community college students.

“Tuition relief is needed now more than ever,” Stack said. “Middle-class families are struggling to send their children to college and unemployed adults are looking to learn new skills or improve their education. If we invest in education, we are investing in a brighter future for Pennsylvania and its citizens.

“I’m pleased that there is a focus on community college aid,” said Stack, whose Senatorial district includes a Community College of Philadelphia satellite campus. “As enrollment in community colleges increases, we need to ensure that these students can afford this quality, affordable education.”

The budget proposal also expands health care coverage to those who need it most by offering more uninsured Pennsylvanians access to the adultBasic program, which provides affordable basic coverage to individuals who can’t afford it. The expansion would be funded by existing state tobacco and community health investment funds, as well as matching federal funding.

“Right now, there are 183,000 people on the adultBasic waiting list, which is nearly double the number compared to last year, and that number will continue to rise if we don’t expand coverage,” Stack said. “Many of these people are employed but have been forced to choose to pay their utility bills and buy groceries over doctor’s visits. By giving uninsured Pennsylvanians better access to health care, we can reduce the cost burden on hospitals and taxpayers.”

The state’s Cover All Kids program would also see increased funding, which would cover an additional 23,000 children.

“No parent should have to choose between feeding their children and providing them with health coverage, so it’s critical that we continue to provide parents with access to health care for their children,” Stack said.

This is Stack’s first budget season as the Democratic vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which develops the state budget.

“It will be a challenging and even painful budget season, but I look forward to working with the other committee leaders to make the best decisions that benefit Pennsylvania,” Stack said. “We have the opportunity to wipe out our deficit and protect our spending for the upcoming fiscal years, so we need to start today to ensure that tomorrow is a better day.”