Rep. Jamie Barton of Berks and Schuylkill counties responded to Governor Josh Shapiro’s recent budget address, criticizing the governor’s fiscal approach and energy policy.
“Gov. Josh Shapiro swung and missed,” Barton said in a statement following the address.
Barton argued that while families and seniors are seeking lower costs from state government, the governor’s proposal relies on what he called a “cookie cutter approach of the tried-and-failed ‘spend billions today and raise taxes tomorrow.’”
He also criticized past Democratic administrations’ support for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), saying it hurt Pennsylvania’s energy industry by delaying investments and slowing economic growth. “The last two Democrat governors’ support of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) left Pennsylvania’s energy industry languishing. By forcing industry to delay investments, he stopped the economic growth that would help us generate tax revenue, balance budgets and make Pennsylvania a world leader in energy production,” Barton stated.
Barton acknowledged Governor Shapiro’s recent shift on RGGI but called for further action: “I applaud the governor’s recent energy conversion on RGGI. Now he needs to cut the red tape and unleash our energy potential for good.”
On fiscal matters, Barton expressed concern about proposed deficit spending: “When it comes to the deficit spending he proposed, it opens the door to a conversation about what the taxpayer money sitting in Harrisburg should be used for. It’s clear the governor wants to spend on his political base and special interests.”
Barton indicated he will work with colleagues to prioritize returning funds directly to taxpayers: “I will be talking to my colleagues about how we can send money back to taxpayers to help them put food on their table, gas in their cars, heat in their homes and prescription drugs in their medicine cabinets. I think that is a much better way to meet the needs of everyday Pennsylvanians.”
