New Fiscal Office Floated

Pennsylvania Sen. Jane Clare Orie, R-Allegheny and Butler, last week urged lawmakers to pass legislation by Oct. 1 that would establish a nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Office.

The independent office would calculate revenue projections and provide all lawmakers with the state’s budget and fiscal information. The department would release binding revenue estimates by June 15 for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

“Currently, 36 other states and the federal government have independent fiscal offices like the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which provide nonpartisan budget figures to legislators, regardless of whether they are Republican or Democrat,” Orie said in a statement. “The fiscal office would have access to the same agency and department financial information as the governor’s budget office.”

The General Assembly passed a measure in 2009 that initially set up an Legislative Fiscal Office, but it sunset in July. Lawmakers would need to revisit the issue to make the office permanent. Both the Senate and the House will be back in session this week.

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