Lee votes against budget that irresponsibly hoards billions in surplus funding

Says spending plan doesn’t go far enough to help communities

Rep. Summer Lee    June 25, 2021 | 8:57 PM

HARRISBURG, June 25 – Following today’s passage of the Pennsylvania state budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year, state Rep. Summer Lee, D-Allegheny, issued the following statement:

“I voted against this budget because it irresponsibly hoards billions of dollars of surplus funding that could be used to lift millions of Pennsylvanians out of crisis -- some of which was exacerbated by COVID-19, but much of which was there long before the pandemic.

"While it does generate some much-needed funding for our most vulnerable school districts, it doesn’t go nearly far enough, especially when we have $10 billion to use.

"This budget puts billions of dollars of vital funding away in our state’s Rainy Day Fund, even though the people of our commonwealth are currently drowning. There is certainly a balance to strike between fiscal responsibility and hoarding, but this budget certainly did not strike it.

"It’s grossly irresponsible, and that’s why I voted no.”

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