Pennsylvania’s spending billions more than we can afford

Originally published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Harrisburg celebrates the newly signed 2024–25 state budget. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, his fellow Democratic lawmakers, and even state Senate Republicans see the budget as “fiscally responsible.”

However, a deeper dive into the numbers reveals the exact opposite: ever-growing budget deficits with negative impacts on taxpayers for years to come.

At the end of the current fiscal year, the state will hold a projected $10 billion in reserves, a seemingly strong fiscal position. Yet, despite billions of dollars in reserves, Pennsylvania’s fiscal planning is anything but sound.

Read more at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette