Pa. government needs makeover

August 1977. The Pennsylvania legislature had yet to pass a budget, and the impasse, in which every citizen felt pain, was inflaming tensions by the day. Lawmakers needed police protection, a 20-person melee broke out on the House floor, and boisterous protests were commonplace.

But perhaps most frightening was the sight of angry constituents literally pounding the front door of a legislator’s home (he was in Harrisburg) as his wife single-handedly stood up to, and somehow fended off, the belligerent mob, while his scared young children hid behind her for protection, certain that the door lock would not hold up should she need it.

Violence and threats are never the answer, but people’s frustrations were understandable. Back then, during budget impasses, spending freezes went into effect. Nothing, and no one, got paid. No bills. No salaries. No school funding. Not even paychecks for the legislators. Nothing.

And that’s exactly how it should be.

Only when everyone feels the pinch do rational heads prevail and things get done. But that’s not how Harrisburg does it anymore. Quite the contrary, damn near no one is affected by budget crises these days, and for good reason. Our elected officials concocted a plan that ensures no one feels the slightest pain. They break the law. That’s not hyperbole. It’s fact. And it is appalling.

Pennsylvania is required by its constitution to enact a balanced budget by June 30 of each year, one that must be passed by the Legislature and accepted by the governor. Should that fail to occur, the state is supposed to shut down until the politicians get their act together.

No one should get paid, and no state programs should be funded, from DMV services to schools to prisons. That way, the Legislature has incentive to quit playing games and pass a reasonable budget. Doing so is in the best interests of the people, and keeps the state’s fiscal position in good standing because Pennsylvania’s budget, like those of many businesses and families, would be balanced. In other words, the state would not spend any more money than what was allotted.

But since many of today’s elected officials are cowards, interested only in self-preservation, they’ve decided that breaking the law is the most expedient way to “serve” the people, since an unaffected, and thus apathetic, public will keep them in office.

This year, lawmakers sent a $32 billion budget to Gov. Wolf, who, rather than sign it, did nothing, allowing it to become law. The Republican-controlled Senate’s answer is to — what else? — raise taxes. Far be it for them to do their job, namely to run Pennsylvania in a fiscally responsible manner by cutting waste, streamlining government, and creating a favorable business climate for sustained job growth. Instead, they want to further penalize an alreadyoverburdened citizenry by further raiding their wallets.

The way to balance the budget is to make across-the-board cuts. Period. No exceptions. Many won’t like it, but will accept it so long as its equal pain for all, special treatment for none. But choosing budgetary “winners” while others get shafted — code speak for rewarding big campaign contributors — is a surefire way to generate intense animosity.

What can be done? Legislators could be rebuked and “censured” —though only through the press, good-government organizations, and social media, since they obviously see no fault in their actions. And most significantly, albeit most difficult, the people could demand term limits and, in the meantime, vote out as many incumbents as possible.

That’s not a panacea, but taking a hard line with candidates by demanding they follow the law and pass a balanced budget would go a long way. That type of voter “uprising” has precedent, as both parties suffered massive losses after legislators voted themselves an illegal pay raise in 2005.

Without respect for the rule of law, especially from lawmakers themselves, we are no different from a banana republic. Gov. Wolf and the Legislature need to stop shirking their responsibilities, start following the law, and do the job they were elected to do.

Or their political fortunes may become as out-of-balance as the budget.