HARRISBURG, PA — Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday sharply criticized Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026–27 budget, warning that the plan expands government too aggressively, relies on unstable revenue sources, and could deepen affordability pressures for taxpayers across the Commonwealth.
House Republican Leader Jesse Topper, R-Bedford/Fulton, said the governor’s proposal follows a familiar pattern of excessive spending and growth in government, while raising concerns about the administration’s handling of reserve funds.
“As with past budget proposals from this administration, the product unveiled today spends too much, grows government too much and relies too much on unsustainable sources of revenue,” Topper said. He also objected to the proposed transfer of Rainy Day Fund dollars to create a $100 million reserve for responding to federal actions, calling it an “illegitimate use” that blurs constitutional boundaries.
Topper said lawmakers should instead focus on long-term economic growth and begin scaling back government to ease pressure on taxpayers already struggling with rising costs.
House Republican Whip Tim O’Neal, R-Washington, echoed those concerns, framing the budget as a threat to household affordability. He argued the proposal could drive costs higher by depending on what he described as new taxes and accounting maneuvers.
“The affordability crisis is real and people are struggling,” O’Neal said. “This proposal by Gov. Shapiro is irresponsible and will contribute to rising costs across the state.” O’Neal said economic growth, not expanded government, is the only sustainable path to increasing state revenue.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana, focused on the size of the proposal, noting that the $53.26 billion spending plan represents an increase of $2.72 billion, or 5.4 percent, over the current fiscal year.
Struzzi said he has concerns not only about spending levels but also about revenue assumptions and the Commonwealth’s long-term fiscal stability. He emphasized that the proposal marks the beginning of the budget process, with lawmakers set to begin weeks of detailed hearings.
“I look forward to our three weeks of budget hearings to review this budget line-by-line and work toward a compromise budget that meets the needs of all Pennsylvanians,” Struzzi said.
Shapiro’s proposal now heads to the General Assembly, where competing priorities between the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate are expected to shape months of negotiations leading up to the start of the new fiscal year.
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