Pennsylvania Statutes Title 71 P.S. State Government § 891.2. Findings

(1) The traditional method of budget development, which relies upon incremental adjustments to expenditures made in the previous financial period, insulates governmental activities from the thorough fiscal review expected by taxpaying citizens.

(2) New and changing demands for public services are met through excessive budget growth rather than by systematic and thorough analysis based on performance measurement and established performance benchmarks and the reallocation of existing fiscal resources. Traditional budgeting processes often result in the continuation of obsolete or ineffective programs and increased reliance on taxpayer support. Some programs were established so long ago that the original statutory basis has either been forgotten or is out of date. In time, the budget is driven by inertia rather than by clear and defensible purposes.

(3) Performance-based budgeting is an effective method to counter the tendency toward perpetuation of outmoded State programs.

(4) A thorough and efficient review of the tax credits the Commonwealth offers to various individuals, organizations and companies is vital to ensuring that the Commonwealth is being a good stalwart of the support of taxpayers.