Senator Pittman

📰 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 📰

HARRISBURG – Senator Joe Pittman (R-41) issued the following statement on the state budget:

“In July, when House Democrats came to the realization that Governor Shapiro’s $51.5 billion budget proposal for 2025-26 spent too much money, they sent the Senate a $50.6 billion version that was not agreed-to. Today, they sent yet another unagreed-to budget to the Senate, this one spending $50.25 billion. After months without a state budget, the latest act by the House has taken steps backwards, not forwards. With the state budget being due 100 days ago, it is long past time for Democrats to stop their games and to complete a responsible budget that doesn’t seek to spend billions more than we can afford by using one-time dollars.

“Pennsylvanians deserve a functioning government which respects hardworking taxpayers. What Democrats continuously fail to realize is that divided government requires true compromise. This means a final budget agreement cannot simply be a checkbook for their reckless spending but must be a reasonable plan, which also includes Republican policies to support families and foster greater #economicgrowth for #Pennsylvania. Ten years ago, the state budget spent just over $30 billion. The substantial budgetary increase over the last decade makes it clear that we must control the growth of our expenditures to prevent a fiscal calamity in the coming years.

“Until Democrats are willing to come to the table with a unified voice and a respect for the differences we have, we will remain at an impasse. The most prudent action for the House to take would be to immediately pass last year’s budget as the Senate did back on August 12, to get money flowing today. The only reason anyone who relies on government services and support is feeling negative impacts from the impasse is because of the Democrats’ unwillingness to put people above #politics.” ...

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚

It was great to sit down with the @pachamber in my Harrisburg office earlier this week to discuss the significance of permitting reform in Pennsylvania. We recognize the trajectory of this Commonwealth is such that we need #EconomicOpportunity, and the only way we have economic opportunity is if we get more shovels in the ground. #permitting reform still means responsible projects, protecting the environment, making sure the projects are done safely and properly - but also promptly.

There is certainly a lot more to do, but the reforms we have worked to implement already, signal that #Pennsylvania is open for business and that we`re prepared to embrace new development and new economic opportunity. Senate Republicans know this is a critical part of #JobCreation and helping to increase access to family sustaining jobs. ...

𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐍𝐨 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞
“The horror we saw yesterday with the murder of Charlie Kirk, the recent mass violence within communities, and the targeting of individuals who offer a different political perspective is abhorrent. The epidemic of violence in all forms must be condemned.

“24 years ago on September 11, 2001, the United States of America was attacked. The vile and cowardly actions of terrorists that day changed our world. In the days, weeks, and months following the attack, the violence which shook our nation to the core ultimately led to Americans becoming more united in our resolve to come together.

“The past cannot be changed, but it is imperative we continue to learn from it, as we did after 9/11. Violence and hate have no place, and we must work to shape a better future in which discord is respectful. May God Bless our Nation.”
#neverforget #charliekirk #unitedwestand ...