HARRISBURG, PA — The Senate Finance Committee has advanced legislation to limit the growth of state government spending in Pennsylvania, according to Sen. Joe Scarnati.

Scarnati, a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 7, known as the Taxpayer Protection Act, explained that the legislation will help protect taxpayers by ensuring that state spending has appropriate accountability and does not exceed certain inflationary thresholds. The bill was passed by the committee on September 16 by a vote of 7 to 4.

“Every day, hard-working families across Pennsylvania are faced with spending decisions in order to make sure they are living within their means,” Scarnati said. “It is important that as a Commonwealth we also make a commitment to reject excessive spending that could hurt our state’s economic future and our ability to compete.”

According to Scarnati, the bill would limit state government spending to the average change in personal income for the three preceding calendar years, or it would limit state government spending to the average inflation rate plus the average percentage change in state population over the three preceding years (with exceptions for certain extraordinary circumstances).