HARRISBURG, Pa. — As budget negotiations continue at the State Capitol Building, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis is calling for more investment into gun violence prevention programs across the Commonwealth.
“All Pennsylvanians deserve the right to both feel safe and be safe," said Lt. Governor Davis.
On Tuesday, the lieutenant governor met with advocates, county leaders and law enforcement for a roundtable discussion about gun violence. The forum comes amid a string of deadly shootings that have killed eleven people in Harrisburg so far this year.
“We are losing too many young people, and it is not okay," said Kia Hansard, a co-founder of Concerned About the Children of Harrisburg. "I don’t know how anybody sleeps at night."
The Shapiro administration is proposing to spend $100 million to address gun violence across the Commonwealth in this year’s budget. Additionally, the proposal calls for a $37.5 million increase in the state's Violence Intervention and Prevention program.
Lieutenant Governor Davis said the proposal will allow law enforcement and nonprofits to start addressing the issue.
"Folks are clearly frustrated and passionate to make a difference, and we need to make sure we're continuing these investments because that’s the only way we’re going to get there," he said.
FOX43 reached out to Senate Republicans for comment about the proposal in this year's budget. A spokesperson for Senator Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) released the following statement:
“While addressing public safety and rising crime is certainly a priority of mine and of Lancaster County residents, we must find ways to punish criminals while preserving lawful gun owners’ rights to keep and bear arms. For many of my constituents, safety and protecting their families means the ability to responsibly own firearms and / or conceal carry. I firmly support their right to do that, and would oppose any efforts by the Shapiro administration to infringe upon that right.”
Charla Plaines, a co-founder of the nonprofit Concerned About the Children of Harrisburg, said Harrisburg programs need to work together in order to cut down on gun deaths in the city.
“I think, strategically, we need to come together and say, ‘We need a lot more money that what we’ve been going after, and here’s how we’re going to use it,'" said Plaines.