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HARRISBURG – Senator Jeffrey E. Piccola (R-15), Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, issued the following statement today regarding state budget projections and his focus for the scheduled budget hearings in the coming weeks.
“It’s no surprise that we are facing one of the most difficult budgets in Pennsylvania’s history – a budget crisis compounded by several factors including significant spending during the course of this administration and the status of our national economy. In order to weather these economic conditions, this budget will require us to hold the line on taxes and spending.
“To balance any budget with such a growing deficit will require a thorough and honest assessment of each and every state program and then prioritizing spending as all working families do. The Governor and General Assembly will need to make tough decisions about which state programs should be trimmed to make up for the shortfall.
“As Chairman, I’ve scheduled two days of extensive oversight budget hearings on March 25 and 26 for the Education Committee to closely examine the Department of Education’s budget and other educational appropriations, line-by-line, for savings in this very difficult budget year. Education funding makes up about 38 percent of all General Fund state spending. Therefore, I expect these hearings to generate discussion on how the billions of dollars earmarked for basic and higher education can be spent more efficiently and effectively.
“Program efficacy must apply to every state agency across the board as we look at the justification for each line item -- from the number of employees responsible for administering these line items to the number of contracts issued. All entities that the state supervises, regulates, or collaborates with on behalf of the students in our Commonwealth will be examined as well for potential savings.
“I would also encourage our local agencies that deliver educational services to be cognizant of our difficult situation and examine each program and its relative contribution to academic achievement.”
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