Rep. Metcalfe: Corbett Budget is About a 'Billion Short in Welfare Spending Cuts'

State Rep Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, is calling the 2012-13 state budget that Gov. Tom Corbett unveiled today about “$1 billion short in overdue welfare spending cuts.”

“The governor needs to exchange his butter knife for a meat cleaver and cut even more wasteful and excessive welfare spending,” Metcalfe said in a statement regarding the budget.

The $27.14 billion budget, which features .1 percent less spending than this year, holds the line on overall state spending and taxes but cuts funding for social services and state-connected universities.

State funding for community colleges and publics schools will remain at about the same levels as this year. The Patriot–News, however, reports state-related universities such as Penn State, Temple and Pitt will have a 30 percent cut in state aide while state-owned universities will see a 20-percent reduction.

Locally, Seneca Valley officials said their review of the governor's plan indicates the original Accountability Block Grants the district has received for the last six years has been eliminated.

"Seneca Valley has invested these funds in student technology and professional development," district spokeswoman Linda Andreassi said. "If these monies have indeed been removed, this is a major concern for us and the future of these important educational components.

Andreassi said Corbett's plan to combine several funding streams into one block grant also makes it difficult for Seneca Valley officials to predict the affect this will have on the district, particularly because Seneca Valley has yet to receive word from Pennsylvania Department of Education about the allocations it will recieve for 2012-13 school year.

"We will continue to comb through the information provided and anticipate giving more detail to our community as we go through budget discussions over the next several months,” she said.

The budget also makes significant changes to state welfare programs, including the proposed elimination of a state-funded cash assistance program that serves about 60,000 people. There’s also some additional requirements in order to qualify for medical assistance benefits, The Patriot-News reports.

In a letter sent to the governor last week that 15 other House Republicans signed, Metcalfe said legislators must examine state agencies “with obese budgets,” specifically public welfare.

Metcalfe said the Department of Public Welfare represented 39 percent of general fund spending in the 2011-12 state budget, which he said is more spending than any other agency in the commonwealth.

“It is time to rein in the excessive spending, streamline programs and create efficiencies within the Department of Public Welfare,” he said. “The Legislature has already taken the first steps to facilitate policies to crack down on fraud in the system and end the ‘close your eyes and authorize’ policies of the Department of Public Welfare.”

Metcalfe said reducing the welfare budget by 10 percent would save taxpayers more than $1 billion.

“The way to grow our economy is not on the backs of taxpayers but through reducing the taxpayers’ burden,” he said.  

What do you think of Corbett's 2012-13 budget plan? Do you agree with Metcalfe that there should be more severe cuts to welfare? Share your opinion in the comment section.