North Pocono News

Rep. Jeff Olsommer (R-Pike/Wayne) issued a statement explaining his decision to vote against the annual state budget.

“I am a small business owner, so I understand the need to balance a budget – but this budget is not balanced, nor is it done in a professional manner. It spends $3.3 billion more than anticipated revenues to be received within the fiscal year, adding to the structural deficit the Commonwealth is already facing," Olsommer stated.

He further elaborated on his concerns about fiscal responsibility: “As a homeowner or business owner, the responsible action is to pay down your debt and keep money in the bank for an unexpected emergency. This budget does not accomplish either. In fact, this budget is unsustainable, which will inevitably lead to raising taxes and will continue to put a strain on our already financially strapped families and small businesses."

Olsommer also highlighted issues with education funding: “For the last 15 years state funding for education has increased by 56% while reading proficiency has decreased by 23%. With $1 billion in new money being allocated toward school districts in this year’s budget, there are no accountability measures. It’s obvious that more funding does not equal more proficiency.”

However, he did acknowledge some positive aspects of the budget: “On the flip side, however, I was happy to see funding for the Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites Program (PA SITES) to draw more businesses to the Commonwealth.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro took office in January 2023 with an $8.1 billion General Fund surplus. With passage of the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, Shapiro will have spent this down to $3.5 billion. The 2024-25 state budget totals $47.6 billion, representing a 6% spending increase over the prior fiscal year.

Representative Jeff Olsommer

139th Legislative District

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Media Contact: Melissa Fox

717.260.6522