BCT Editorial – 11/24/10

The editorial says, “Even though PAT funding does not come out of the general fund, what happens to it eventually will happen to them.”  Perhaps the Times editorial board should do some research regarding “the general fund” and “PAT funding.”  The proposed 2010-2011 budget estimated about $400 million would go into the Public Transportation Trust Fund from the sales and use tax.  Turnpike tolls ($410 million) and the PA Lottery ($88 million) also provide significant revenue.  To claim “PAT funding does not come out of the general fund” is more about bookkeeping than reality.

The editorial asserts, “After the last two tough budgets, there’s very little fat to cut.”  Keep in mind this comes from a leftist newspaper that supports just about every spending proposal that comes down the pike.  Here’s what I wrote in my critique of “Do something:”  “PA spending has outpaced inflation.  The 2002-2003 budget was $20.7 billion and the proposed 2010-2011 budget was $29 billion.  If spending increases had been limited to the increase of the CPI, the current budget would be about $25.1 billion, and instead of a $1 billion deficit we’d have either a $2.9 billion surplus or lower taxation, and lower taxation favors economic growth.  In other words, without any tax increases we’d have more than enough to cover the ‘about $3.5 billion annually to fully fund the state’s transportation needs’ with nearly $2 billion left over to cut taxes.”