WILLIAMS CALLS ON THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS BUDGET

Harrisburg, Dec. 17, 2003 – Calling the situation dire, state Sen. Connie Williams renewed her call for state legislators to act on a state spending plan.

This week the senator co-sponsored legislation that she hoped would ensure a similar budget year never again is visited upon Pennsylvanians. The proposed legislation would suspend the salaries for members of the General Assembly on July 1st of any given year, if a complete budget has not been signed into law. Under the proposal, members of the General Assembly wouldn’t be paid after July 1st until a state budget is enacted.

“What happened this year is unconscionable,” Williams said. “The budget wranglings were not about the people of Pennsylvania, but about political one-upmanship and undermining the new governor. In the meantime, our schools have suffered, our libraries suffered and important social programs have suffered. All of this was unnecessary.”

Earlier this year, Williams called on her colleagues and leadership to stay in session through summer to work out a spending plan. She has continued to push for resolution, but contends some of the major sticking points are those, such as gaming and raising taxes, that will make elected officials unpopular with the people at home.

Williams said she is still hopeful that a resolution to the budget impasse can be reached by Christmas.

“Pennsylvanians deserve no less,” Williams said.