HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania state government is claiming a budget deficit of more than $1 billion, but now we learn it’s sitting on a reserve account of about $140 million.
From EveningSun.com:
Shouldn’t we be shifting some of that money around so we could minimize draconian cuts to programs that citizens actually need (schools, police, etc.)?
What’s up in the Keystone State? For several years public schools in Pennsylvania have claimed to be running on fiscal fumes, and attacking Gov. Tom Corbett for failing to replace the temporary federal stimulus dollars that so many districts foolishly built into their regular budgets.
Then last year the Philadelphia Daily News reported that the state’s school districts, while crying poverty, were sitting on a combined $3.5 billion in reserve fund balances. Many school districts were cutting student programs, laying off teachers and blaming Corbett when many had money in the bank to avoid budget cuts.
The revelation that the state also has more money that it claimed is very telling. Perhaps taxpayers should start asking questions whenever governmental units start claiming to be broke. It may just be a big fat lie to rationalize even higher taxes.
