Rebuilding Pennsylvania Promises Made, Promises Kept

Fiscal Responsibility:  Spending less, Getting more

Governor Corbett is committed to running a state government that lives within its means and knows that taxpayer funding is your money, not ours.  In June 2011, the Governor supported the passage of Pennsylvania’s first on-time budget in nine years.  The budget does not include a tax increase and plugs a $4.2 billion deficit by controlling spending.  The 2011-2012 budget is a reality-based budget, spending only revenues the Commonwealth has, which is a departure from past budgets that were cobbled together using budgetary gimmicks and short-term fixes. The Corbett budget looks at Pennsylvania’s economy in the long term and begins the process of ensuring a stable, secure future for the commonwealth. 

As a part of the Governor’s commitment to reduce the tax burden on Pennsylvanians he championed a property tax referendum which compels any school district wishing to increase property tax more than the rate of inflation to put it on the ballot, allowing taxpayers to decide.  It is incumbent on school districts to manage their budgets in a prudent matter that puts students first, including controlling their spending.  And most recently the Governor signed into law legislation that requires the creation of PennWatch, a transparency website that shows state transactions online so taxpayers know how their funds are being spent.