Pennsylvania House Republican leadership responded to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s FY 2025-26 budget address Tuesday, pointing out the proposed spending plan is based in unsustainable spending increases and an unnecessary and unaffordable expansion of government.

House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton) said to truly balance this, and any future budgets, Pennsylvania needs policy that will drive real growth in Pennsylvania’s energy economy.

“Here is what we can say with certainty about the governor’s proposed budget – this will not be the final product: It spends too much, it grows government too much and is unsustainable in the future,” Topper said. “We need policies that grow the economy and create family-sustaining jobs if we want to really balance this and future budgets; and the House Republican Caucus is up to the challenge of creating and driving policy that grows our Commonwealth through Pennsylvania’s home-grown energy economy.”

House Republican Whip Tim O’Neal (R-Washington) echoed that the governor should focus on economic growth in Pennsylvania’s energy industry to ignite Pennsylvania’s potential.

“Gov. Shapiro is once again pushing a tax-and-spend agenda when we should be prioritizing policies that will ignite our economy,” O’Neal said. “That starts with investing in Pennsylvania’s energy industry, which will not only bring utility costs down but generate millions more in revenue than any tax dreamed up by the governor.”

House Republican Appropriations Chairman Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) said the budget plan laid out by Shapiro is unsustainable.

“While we understand this is a starting point in the process, Gov. Shapiro’s budget proposal increases spending far beyond sustainable levels. What concerns me most is the governor’s failure to propose – or remove – the policies needed to unleash Pennsylvania’s energy industry. The energy economy offers Pennsylvania’s best, immediate and realistic path to a fiscally sound future,” Struzzi stated.

“In the upcoming budget hearings, House Republicans will work diligently to analyze this proposal and determine the best path forward. Hopefully we will find areas of common ground as we work toward the sustainable, responsible and on-time budget that Pennsylvanians deserve.”

You can view the entire press conference here: https://pagopvideo.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/358254601.mp4