The $45.2 million Pennsylvania state budget was passed by the Senate by a 47-3 vote and now heads for the desk of Governor Tom Wolf for his signature.
The House previously approved the bill by a 180-20 vote.
”This spending plan is about investing and setting the stage for a bright future for our great commonwealth,” said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Pat Browne (R-Lehigh).
Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York), the House Appropriations chair, called the deal “exactly the medicine this commonwealth needs to right ourselves and be the most competitive state in this nation and return ourselves to the Keystone State we should be.”
Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) said, “There’s nothing perfect about this, but there’s certainly some very significant items in this budget that we must pay attention to.”
Aided by funding to help states deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the budget sent $2.1 billion into Rainy Day Fund, an emergency savings account, bringing the fund to $5 billion.
The budget includes record increases in spending for education while also reducing the state’s 9.99% corporate tax rate to 8.99 percent in 2023 and then gradually reduces it to 4.99 percent by 2031.
Public schools would receive $7.6 billion in basic education – an increase of $525 million – while also garnering $100 million more for special education. The 100 least funded school districts would get an extra combined $225 million.
The General Assembly also agreed to spend $2.2 billion in remaining federal stimulus dollars on a number of one-off conservation, water infrastructure, housing, child care, and public safety projects.
A property tax rebate program for people 65 or older and those with disabilities, typically funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery, will get a one-time $140 million infusion.
“One, it responsibly saves money, two, it responsibly invests money, and three, while making sure that we’re taking care of today we’re also planning for tomorrow,” House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) told reporters.
Both the House and Senate appropriations chairs – Saylor and Browne – were defeated in their primaries in May.
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119 Responses
TrueStory!
Someone should make each Republican,
Spend a week in some of these Homes where there is hardly anything to eat everyday!
Then make them work at some of these fast food places bust tables and do some Damn dishes!
And then make them catch the bus to these fast food jobs and see if they could handle the everyday hustle and bustle these poor tax payers work so hard to pay there Salaries!🤔👍🏿💰
This is ridiculous and horrible already! The PA people need help. Everyone around the world is struggling actually! Rent is now over a 1,000 dollars for a 2 bedroom apartment. That’s NOT even INCLUDING utilities!! Gas, food, and everything else has risen in price. You’d think our paychecks would increase. Something. We NEED some kind of HELP.. I bet it would be a different story if you were in OUR shoes!! However you people just keep giving ILLEGALS everything for FREE. Help out your OWN people first!!