Shapiro’s Campaign Promises Cost Taxpayers Anew

A recent PennLive article reported that AFSCME, the state government’s largest union, has recently ratified the highest pay raise in years through a contract with the Shapiro Administration. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees’ Council (AFSCME) can look forward to pay raises exceeding 22% over the next four years, including immediate retroactive raises. That’s believed to be the greatest percentage increase for state workers in at least the past 20 years.

The Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus spoke out against this skyrocketing use of taxpayer dollars as it comes at a time of record high inflation in a disastrous Democratic-led economy in which Pennsylvania has remained specifically stagnant. You’d be hard pressed to find another industry in these sluggish times where anyone could expect a 22.25% raise. Despite creating a maze of regulatory red tape that cripples private enterprise and harms small businesses, the state government bypasses such hardships with back-room deals and taxpayer funded bailouts.

More troubling, those receiving the raises were some of the top contributors to his campaign. AFSCME’s donation of $1.26 million to Shapiro’s 2022 Gubernatorial campaign provided a return that will cost the taxpayers $83.7 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. This brand of dirty back room politics shows why less citizens trust their government every day.