House Republican Leaders Call For Committees To Focus On Executive Branch Overspending

On February 11, Republican Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) and Appropriations Committee Chairman Stan Saylor (R-York) called upon all standing committees of the House to exercise their oversight authority to evaluate, review and make recommendations to promote better effectiveness and efficiencies in Pennsylvania’s executive agencies.

“The people of Pennsylvania deserve our best efforts to identify ways to improve operations, promote greater value and manage results,” Rep. Cutler said. “While our standing committees have traditionally been focused on passing legislation, having them review and oversee the executive departments will help maximize existing investments.”

Rep. Saylor noted that over the past several years, Pennsylvania has enjoyed budget surpluses. However, the potential benefits of a surplus have been eliminated due to consistent overspending by Wolf and his administration.

[Note: Here are the ending balances of the last few years as calculated by the Independent Fiscal Office in their Economic and Budget Outlook Reports: FY14-15 ($266 million), FY15-16 ($2 million), FY16-17 (-$1,538 million), FY17-18 ($22 million), FY18-19 ($0 balance), FY19-20 (-$409 million), FY20-21 (-$1,062 million).]

“Taxpayers should be getting a break during these times of economic prosperity, but instead, this governor continues to ask for more from Pennsylvanians’ wallets,” Rep. Saylor said. “Our committee leaders will take thorough looks at all state agencies and expenditures, examining which programs are helping move our Commonwealth forward, and which are only holding us back.”

Rep.Cutler noted that the emphasis on good management is a shared goal in state government. “Gov. Wolf, through the Office of Performance Through Excellence, has been working diligently to improve executive agency operations. Our goal is to be an active partner in promoting best management practices and to cut red tape, remove inefficacies, improve services and achieve measurable results.”

Representatives Cutler and Saylor delivered their message to committee leaders this week, ahead of the scheduled Appropriations Committee budget hearings that start on February18. 

The examination process will continue in the months leading up to the budget deadline.

Click Here for a copy of the letter.

(Photos: Reps. Cutler, Saylor.)