JOHNSTOWN —
Both state Sen. John Eichelberger Jr. and Rep. Gary Haluska described the amount of money directed toward education in the commonwealth’s recently adopted 2012-13 budget as basically “flat funding.”
They disagreed, though, about exactly what keeping spending level means for school districts and universities.
Eichelberger, a Republican, whose 30th district covers all of Bedford County, feels it was a sign of fiscal responsibility by the government that will make educational institutions find ways of eliminating waste.
Haluska, D-Patton, believes that the financial plan will force school districts to either raise taxes or cut important programs.
The state allotted a total of $10.54 billion to spend on education spread throughout more than three dozen line items, ranging from Pre-K Counts, universities, pupil transportation, adult literacy to library subsidies. It was a 4.1 percent increase from last year’s budget. Penn State, Pitt and Temple all received the same amount of money as they did in 2011-12. Basic education funding grew by less than 1 percent to $5.4 billion.
“This pushes the tax burden down to the local level,” said Haluska.
Originally, Republican Gov. Tom Corbett proposed spending $10.29 billion on education.
“They received more funding than what we were going to give them. ... The schools really should be thankful for the money they get,” Eichelberger said. Haluska described the increase by saying, “They just threw some extra money into the schools that were ready to go belly-up.”
The difference of opinion between Haluska and Eichelberger is indicative of the divide between area politicians. Haluska and two other local house members – Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Johnstown, and Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township – voted against the $27.66 billion budget that Corbett signed on June 30.
They were in the minority of a 120-81 vote. Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Somerset, and Dick Hess, R-Bedford, supported the plan.
In the upper chamber, Sen. Richard Kasunic, a Democrat whose 32nd district includes part of Somerset County, opposed the final budget.
One local legislator, Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont, broke party lines, backing the financial plan that passed the Senate by a 32-17 margin.
Specifically, Wozniak supported the increase in education funding compared with Corbett’s preliminary outline.
However, he opposed the expansion of the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs because he felt the Department of Health was already capable of handling issues dealing with addiction.
“For some, it was wailing and gnashing of teeth,” said Wozniak. “For others, it was the right-sizing of government. For me, I think it was a little bit of both.”
This was the second year in a row Pennsylvania passed a budget on time and with no tax increases.
The financial plan included approximately $300 million in tax breaks for businesses. Conservation and natural resources, agriculture, environmental protection, military and veterans affairs, higher education assistance, and health received significant cuts. Spending for military and veterans affairs dropped by 5.8 percent from last year.
“It was a tight budget, but the thing they didn’t get into the budget that they really should have were the veterans homes,” Barbin said. “You can argue about a hundred things. You can do what you want as governor, but you should take care of the veterans.”
Overall, the budget increased spending by 1.7 percent from 2011-12.
Local News
Local pols split on budget
Wozniak is alone in breaking party lines
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