Curry says 2011-12 state budget hurts working, middle-class Pennsylvanians

The 2011-12 state budget may have been passed on time, but the aftermath is only about to begin for average Pennsylvanians. I voted against the budget because I believe it unfairly targets programs that help the middle class stay afloat, while continuing to give big business and natural gas industry executives free reign in Pennsylvania.

Gov. Corbett and Republican leaders forced a $27.7 billion budget through the legislature, refusing to return $785 million in surplus dollars to taxpayers, and failed to implement a fair tax on the natural gas industry or close a loophole that allows large corporations to dodge paying taxes in Pennsylvania.

Instead, they nearly eliminated state funding for a Pennsylvania program to help families in danger of losing their homes and keep surrounding property values from plummeting further due to foreclosures.

They cut funding for public education by nearly $1 billion, which will not only undermine educational achievements made in the past eight years, but will further burden homeowners with property tax increases. I especially worry that seniors on fixed incomes will be forced out of their homes because they can't make the higher payments.

Finally, Republicans cut $650 million from Medicaid programs and other health-care services for seniors, the disabled and the chronically ill.

These cuts once again target seniors, and also jeopardize some of the biggest employers in our region: Nearly 200,000 people in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties work in the health and social services industries.

This budget is truly a disgrace and fails the people who do the living and working and taxpaying in this state. I welcome your feedback

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