Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. have an ownership position in the Gaza Strip an ”unserious proposal,” in an interview with NBC Philadelphia.
“I think it is an unserious proposal that came from the President,” Shapiro said Wednesday. “It is seemingly illegal on its face under international law. I don’t know why the President would want to drive people from their home and also seemingly have to commit American lives in terms of American military personnel and American treasure in terms of significant tax dollars to do what he said.”
Trump made the comments Tuesday during a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump said that the United States would take a “long-term ownership position” and described Gaza as a potential “riviera of the Middle East.”
Shapiro introduced his third budget proposal of his term in an address from the capitol in Harrisburg on Tuesday. It comes amid fallout from a funding freeze memo that went out last week and was subsequently rescinded, prompting questions about what funds will be available to cities, states and nonprofits.
Asked whether he’s confident that Pennsylvania will get all the money it’s expecting, Shapiro said: “I am not.”
Shapiro said some funds that have been appropriated for Pennsylvania are still not flowing to the commonwealth.
“We are carefully reviewing that, working with our partners in Pennsylvania to determine what next steps we ought to take,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro’s budget calls for increasing the amount of sales tax that goes to the Public Transportation Trust Fund — a boost in funding that could help SEPTA again bridge a funding gap.
“I feel like we can get this done,” Shapiro said.
The transit agency is preparing its own budget that is expected to include possible service cuts and a large fare increase, plans a SEPTA spokesperson said would be adjusted if the proposal passes. Shapiro “flexed” more than $150 million to SEPTA last year in a more that temporarily staved off cuts.
“I believe we can come together on this by investing in mass transit as I proposed in my budget and continuing to invest in roads and bridges in our rural and our suburban communities,” Shapiro said. “I think there’s a deal to be made here.”
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