HARRISBURG – Following the governor’s budget address today in Harrisburg during a joint session of the state Senate and House, Sen. Mike Regan (R-31) said he’s concerned about the overall price tag of the proposal.
“My Senate Republican colleagues and I worked hard the past few years to put the commonwealth in a better financial position,” Regan said. “The governor’s proposal would undo a lot of our work by spending more money than the state expects to collect. When government spends beyond its means, the result is deficits, future cuts to important programs or tax hikes. I don’t want to see any of those happen in Pennsylvania.”
While some of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposals were in line with Regan’s priorities, others were far afield.
One area where Regan believes Shapiro and he can find common ground is on the importance of supporting state and local law enforcement. Shapiro’s proposed budget calls for four new cadet classes of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) next year.
“I’ve been a longtime supporter of law enforcement and the need to increase the state police complement,” said Regan, who chairs the Senate Law and Justice Committee and was a U.S. Marshal before joining the General Assembly. “The state police serve as the primary source of law enforcement in some communities and they’re the only thing standing between dangerous criminals and those residents.”
Regan also sees a common interest in providing sustainable funding to support the state police. Shapiro proposed creating an independent fund for the PSP during the next five years. Regan supports the concept of moving PSP funding out of the Motor License Fund, but says the timeline and the new funding source are up for debate. Regan previously supported funding the state police entirely from the state budget.
Regan said funding for school safety and security measures is one of his top priorities entering the budget season.
“Parents shouldn’t have to fear sending their children to school each day and school district boundaries shouldn’t impact whether one school is safer than the next,” Regan said. “The commonwealth must continue to provide funding to support school resource officers and other measures that enhance the safety of students and teachers.”
Regan also supports the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), which provides tax cuts for businesses that donate money to support local schools and students. Shapiro’s budget would not increase the amount of money available through that program.
More information about Regan is available by visiting his website at www.SenatorMikeReganPa.com.
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