Category: Budget

by Ian Karbal and John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
February 5, 2025

Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his third budget address on Tuesday, calling for an increase in funding to public education, mass transit, minimum wage, and the legalization of adult use cannabis.

Following Shapiro’s 90 plus minute address, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle weighed in on his proposed spending plan. So did advocacy groups representing a diverse set of issues and clients who would be impacted by his proposals.

Republican lawmakers cry foul, but signal willingness to work

Most of Shapiro’s lines that earned cheers from Democrats were met with silent or tepid responses by Republicans.

But with a majority in the Senate and an evenly divided state House, Shapiro will need support from GOP members to get his priorities funded and approved. (Democrats had a single seat majority until the death of Rep. Matt Gergely last month. A special election will be held in his historically Democratic district in March).

GOP lawmakers were largely critical of Shapiro’s proposal that would see the state spend more than his office projects it will bring in. Shapiro’s budget proposes offsetting that roughly $4.5 billion gap with surplus funds and a dip into the state’s rainy day fund. There were some areas where party leaders signalled agreement.

“Gov. Shapiro has a real appetite for spending,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) at a press conference. “We can’t spend money that we don’t have.”

Ward said many of Shapiro’s proposals, such as increased education and transit funding, sound good on paper, but would eat into the state’s rainy day fund, which she said should be saved for emergencies.

“We can’t spend down our rainy day fund. We can’t spend down all of our reserves,” she said.

Ward, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana), and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairperson Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) said they would like to see cuts specifically in education and human services.

The Senate GOP leaders said one way to save on education would be to spend less in school districts with declining enrollment. And Senate Republicans proposed cutting Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs, which can cost thousands of dollars.

Martin added that he was hopeful the Trump administration could make changes to Medicaid that would allow states more “flexibility … to devise plans.”

Ward was disappointed that Shapiro did not propose funding for private school tuition vouchers. When he was campaigning in 2022, Shapiro said he supported school vouchers, and proposed funding them in previous budgets. However, House Democrats united against them in 2023 and Shapiro ultimately demurred and did not revisit the issue last year.

“We didn’t hear a word about kids trapped in these failing schools,” Ward said, in reference to Shapiro’s previous plan to provide vouchers for kids living in the state’s lowest-performing school districts.

Senate Republicans, however, said there were some areas of agreement.

Pittman said there was “at least in broad concept” room for agreement on some of Shapiro’s low-cost policies to ensure access to health care. Those proposals include regulation of private equity firms purchasing hospitals and health care providers, though few details were offered. Shapiro also proposed allowing experienced nurse practitioners to practice medicine more independently in some cases.

House Republicans were also critical.

“What we do know about the proposal from the governor today is that it spends too much,” said House Minority Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford). “It’s unsustainable, moving us into the future, in future budget years, but it also doesn’t do enough in terms of policy to grow the economy.”

Although it was Shapiro’s third budget proposal, state Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington) said it was a continuation of policy from the previous administration

“So we’re now in our 10th year of hearing the same old, tired ideas for our commonwealth,” O’Neal said. “The governor just got done talking about Groundhog Day, and that’s exactly what we just heard.”

House Republicans also said Shapiro’s energy policies are preventing the commonwealth from moving forward.

House Appropriations Committee Minority Chair Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) said that Pennsylvania should be “unleashing our energy industry.”

O’Neal, when railing against the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, said that the “sky is the limit” if Pennsylvania doesn’t “handicap the natural gas industry.”

Another area where Republicans disagree with Shapiro is on raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. Though Topper said it would be on the table during budget negotiations.

“Raising the minimum wage does not grow the economy. It simply does not. It does not drive the economy the way that we need it to here in Pennsylvania,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But I’m sure everything will be on the table over the next few months.”

On transportation spending, Topper said reform has to go along with any funding. And he acknowledged that broader transportation funding would be necessary, covering infrastructure projects like road and bridge repairs, along with mass transit funding.

“It is one of the core functions of government to provide infrastructure for its citizens, to ensure that they can travel and goods and services can be moved,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But in addition to funding SEPTA, there has to be reforms within the system. And once again, this is a five party deal that the governor will need to bring together and ensure that all areas of the Commonwealth are equal in that regard.”

Democrats cheer Shapiro on mass transit and other proposals

Although the response from House Democrats was largely positive, there’s no room for division within the caucus if Republicans remain united.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) applauded Shapiro’s proposed funding increase for mass transit systems across the state.

“Hello SEPTA. Hello Port Authority. Hello every community across the commonwealth where they need to get our children to school, folks to work, and of course, those who are seniors to their doctors’ offices,” she said.

Democrats also dismissed Republican concerns about over-spending, and said continued investment will benefit the state’s economy.

“In order for every family and person to thrive, we have to make sure we don’t let up. We keep our foot on the gas and we work together and do not allow any disinvestments in our communities,” McClinton said. “I’m hearing that my colleagues from across the aisle and across the building are saying the same old, same old saying that we can’t afford to invest in Pennsylvania.

“Well, my question to them is, If not now, when? If not us, then who,” McClinton asked.

Prominent education advocates have mixed response:

The Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center, the non-profit groups that led a lawsuit against the state’s previous education funding model, applauded some of Shapiro’s proposals, but warned there were elements of his budget “which the General Assembly must address.”

After a lawsuit by parents and school districts, the Commonwealth Court ruled that in 2023 the state’s method of distributing funds between school districts was unconstitutionally inequitable.

In response, the legislature came up with a plan last year to distribute $4.5 billion to the state’s poorest schools over nine years at the current pace, with the first installment of  $500 million in the 2024-2025 budget. That pace is set to continue this year, with Shapiro proposing an identical investment this year.

But the advocacy groups would like to see the remaining funds paid off in four years. They are also calling for even larger new investments in basic education and special education spending, allowing the increases over last year to keep up with inflation, as well as more funding for school building maintenance.

The Pennsylvania State Educators Association, the largest teachers’ union in the commonwealth, was more congratulatory. President Aaron Chapin said in a statement that “the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

“As a whole, this budget represents a major step forward in fully and fairly funding our public schools and addressing the educator shortage,” Chapin added. “While there’s no doubt that legislators, advocates, parents, and others will debate about specific line items in the proposal, the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

However, Chapin said he would like to see an even greater increase in special education funding to match the rising costs of services. PA Schools Work, a coalition of education advocates including the Public Interest Law Center and the Education Law Center has also called for more funding for special education and basic education funding.

Prison guards push back on plan to close correctional facilities

Shapiro proposed closing two correctional facilities as a cost-cutting measure, noting in a public summary of his budget that they had been operating under capacity. The administration says it has not identified which facilities might be shuttered.

The Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association decried the proposal.

“PSCOA will vigorously fight against this misguided decision. If passed, this proposal will endanger officers and inmates, devastate working families and potentially destroy local economies,” PSCOA President John Eckenrode said in a statement.

Eckenrode added that in 2019, violence in Pennsylvania prisons was “some of the worst I’ve seen in a quarter century of service.” He attributed that to overcrowding and said  “today, violence has dropped in part because the prison population is spread more evenly.”

Martin called the proposed closure “one thing in [the budget] I see as a positive.”

Cannabis

Advocates for recreational cannabis were glad to hear Shapiro support legalization in his budget.

“Gov. Shapiro’s budget proposal includes robust investments in our communities funded by, among other things, a responsible, recurring revenue stream from an adult-use cannabis market,” said Brit Crampsie, a spokesperson for the cannabis industry trade group, ResponsiblePA. “His vision for legalization in the state makes us competitive once again with neighboring states. We deserve an adult use cannabis market, just like our border states of Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. We deserve the jobs it supports and the revenue it generates.”

Shapiro has proposed legalizing cannabis as a new revenue source in previous budgets. This year, there is hope among longtime legalization proponents that the current deficit will spur lawmakers to action on a bill that would earn revenue from Pennsylvanians already purchasing marijuana either illegally or in other states.

“Pennsylvania residents shouldn’t be penalized for actions that are legal in states all around them,” said Peter Marcus, a spokesperson for Terrapin, a Pennsylvania-based medical dispensary operator. “Businesses like ours should be able to operate on a level playing field with those across the majority of Pennsylvania’s borders.”

But passing the bill may prove difficult.

Only a small handful of Republicans have voiced strong support for legalization. And Senate leadership has been non-committal. Though Ward signalled that the caucus may support legislation if Shapiro lead the conversations — and possibly made some concessions elsewhere.

“He can’t throw an idea out there, which he did last year, and say ‘let the legislature figure it out,’” Ward said. “What is his priority? What will he do to get some of this stuff across the finish line?”

Within the House Democratic caucus, views on what a legalization bill should look like differ. And they will likely need consensus to pass a bill.

Dueling proposals put out this session would open up the market up to private businesses, or see marijuana sold in state stores like liquor, respectively.

“On the issue of adult-use cannabis, there is real diversity of opinions among our members,” House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery), said after Shapiro’s address. Though he added that he’s confident a majority could come to consensus.

Conservative and progressive think tanks weigh in.

Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA), a conservative organization backed by the Koch network, said that Shapiro “talks a good game,” but said his budget proposal would make Pennsylvania more expensive.

“From embracing the costly foolishness of cap-and-trade taxes on energy emissions, to picking winners and losers with tax subsidies and rebates, it’s clear that Governor Shapiro will strangle Pennsylvania’s energy sector,” AFP-PA State Director Emily Greene said.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a statewide affiliate of the right-wing State Policy Network, said Shapiro’s budget proposal calls for “rash spending hikes, big bailouts for mass transit, more corporate welfare subsidies, and new energy taxes.”

“While his rhetoric suggested a spirit of collaboration, Shapiro’s promises of bipartisanship fell flat once again. Gov. Shapiro continues to miss the mark, choosing to force his own political agenda at the expense of common-sense, fiscally-sound policies that will help Pennsylvania families thrive,” said Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Andrew Lewis, a former GOP member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

The Keystone Research Center, which advocates for progressive policies, lauded Shapiro’s inclusion of a $15 minimum wage policy.

“This increase would particularly benefit women and workers of color who are overrepresented in low-wage jobs, while also generating additional state revenue through increased income tax collections,” said Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg. “The evidence from states that have already moved to $15 shows that these increases can be implemented without job losses, while reducing poverty and income inequality.”

What about the Trump administration?

Republicans and Democrats painted different pictures of how President Donald Trump’s administration will impact Pennsylvanians.

“The best thing we have going for us is the Trump economy, but only time will tell,” Pittman said. He warned lawmakers against making plans based on unknowns.

Asked whether he had concerns that the administration’s federal spending cuts could impact the state’s budget, Pittman said he didn’t expect they would.

Topper also rejected the notion that there was uncertainty being caused by the Trump administration that would impact Pennsylvania’s budget proposal.

“I think we look at our budgets based on what we have, and I think being cautious in what we quote, receive from the federal government is a good thing,” he said. “So I always think we have to be cautious in depending on support from the feds to balance our budget.”

But state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia), who serves as the Senate Minority Appropriations Committee chairperson, said that with the Trump administration making unprecedented cuts to congressionally-approved spending at breakneck speed, it was important that Shapiro’s proposal provided “a sense of calmness, thoughtfulness and a vision to move all of Pennsylvania’s people forward,”

“You compare that to the chaos that’s happening in Washington, DC,” he added. “What Gov. Shapiro is doing is, in many respects, trying to put a shield, a shield of protection, around what is happening in Washington.”

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.

by Ian Karbal and John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
February 5, 2025

Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his third budget address on Tuesday, calling for an increase in funding to public education, mass transit, minimum wage, and the legalization of adult use cannabis.

Following Shapiro’s 90 plus minute address, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle weighed in on his proposed spending plan. So did advocacy groups representing a diverse set of issues and clients who would be impacted by his proposals.

Republican lawmakers cry foul, but signal willingness to work

Most of Shapiro’s lines that earned cheers from Democrats were met with silent or tepid responses by Republicans.

But with a majority in the Senate and an evenly divided state House, Shapiro will need support from GOP members to get his priorities funded and approved. (Democrats had a single seat majority until the death of Rep. Matt Gergely last month. A special election will be held in his historically Democratic district in March).

GOP lawmakers were largely critical of Shapiro’s proposal that would see the state spend more than his office projects it will bring in. Shapiro’s budget proposes offsetting that roughly $4.5 billion gap with surplus funds and a dip into the state’s rainy day fund. There were some areas where party leaders signalled agreement.

“Gov. Shapiro has a real appetite for spending,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) at a press conference. “We can’t spend money that we don’t have.”

Ward said many of Shapiro’s proposals, such as increased education and transit funding, sound good on paper, but would eat into the state’s rainy day fund, which she said should be saved for emergencies.

“We can’t spend down our rainy day fund. We can’t spend down all of our reserves,” she said.

Ward, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana), and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairperson Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) said they would like to see cuts specifically in education and human services.

The Senate GOP leaders said one way to save on education would be to spend less in school districts with declining enrollment. And Senate Republicans proposed cutting Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs, which can cost thousands of dollars.

Martin added that he was hopeful the Trump administration could make changes to Medicaid that would allow states more “flexibility … to devise plans.”

Ward was disappointed that Shapiro did not propose funding for private school tuition vouchers. When he was campaigning in 2022, Shapiro said he supported school vouchers, and proposed funding them in previous budgets. However, House Democrats united against them in 2023 and Shapiro ultimately demurred and did not revisit the issue last year.

“We didn’t hear a word about kids trapped in these failing schools,” Ward said, in reference to Shapiro’s previous plan to provide vouchers for kids living in the state’s lowest-performing school districts.

Senate Republicans, however, said there were some areas of agreement.

Pittman said there was “at least in broad concept” room for agreement on some of Shapiro’s low-cost policies to ensure access to health care. Those proposals include regulation of private equity firms purchasing hospitals and health care providers, though few details were offered. Shapiro also proposed allowing experienced nurse practitioners to practice medicine more independently in some cases.

House Republicans were also critical.

“What we do know about the proposal from the governor today is that it spends too much,” said House Minority Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford). “It’s unsustainable, moving us into the future, in future budget years, but it also doesn’t do enough in terms of policy to grow the economy.”

Although it was Shapiro’s third budget proposal, state Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington) said it was a continuation of policy from the previous administration

“So we’re now in our 10th year of hearing the same old, tired ideas for our commonwealth,” O’Neal said. “The governor just got done talking about Groundhog Day, and that’s exactly what we just heard.”

House Republicans also said Shapiro’s energy policies are preventing the commonwealth from moving forward.

House Appropriations Committee Minority Chair Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) said that Pennsylvania should be “unleashing our energy industry.”

O’Neal, when railing against the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, said that the “sky is the limit” if Pennsylvania doesn’t “handicap the natural gas industry.”

Another area where Republicans disagree with Shapiro is on raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. Though Topper said it would be on the table during budget negotiations.

“Raising the minimum wage does not grow the economy. It simply does not. It does not drive the economy the way that we need it to here in Pennsylvania,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But I’m sure everything will be on the table over the next few months.”

On transportation spending, Topper said reform has to go along with any funding. And he acknowledged that broader transportation funding would be necessary, covering infrastructure projects like road and bridge repairs, along with mass transit funding.

“It is one of the core functions of government to provide infrastructure for its citizens, to ensure that they can travel and goods and services can be moved,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But in addition to funding SEPTA, there has to be reforms within the system. And once again, this is a five party deal that the governor will need to bring together and ensure that all areas of the Commonwealth are equal in that regard.”

Democrats cheer Shapiro on mass transit and other proposals

Although the response from House Democrats was largely positive, there’s no room for division within the caucus if Republicans remain united.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) applauded Shapiro’s proposed funding increase for mass transit systems across the state.

“Hello SEPTA. Hello Port Authority. Hello every community across the commonwealth where they need to get our children to school, folks to work, and of course, those who are seniors to their doctors’ offices,” she said.

Democrats also dismissed Republican concerns about over-spending, and said continued investment will benefit the state’s economy.

“In order for every family and person to thrive, we have to make sure we don’t let up. We keep our foot on the gas and we work together and do not allow any disinvestments in our communities,” McClinton said. “I’m hearing that my colleagues from across the aisle and across the building are saying the same old, same old saying that we can’t afford to invest in Pennsylvania.

“Well, my question to them is, If not now, when? If not us, then who,” McClinton asked.

Prominent education advocates have mixed response:

The Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center, the non-profit groups that led a lawsuit against the state’s previous education funding model, applauded some of Shapiro’s proposals, but warned there were elements of his budget “which the General Assembly must address.”

After a lawsuit by parents and school districts, the Commonwealth Court ruled that in 2023 the state’s method of distributing funds between school districts was unconstitutionally inequitable.

In response, the legislature came up with a plan last year to distribute $4.5 billion to the state’s poorest schools over nine years at the current pace, with the first installment of  $500 million in the 2024-2025 budget. That pace is set to continue this year, with Shapiro proposing an identical investment this year.

But the advocacy groups would like to see the remaining funds paid off in four years. They are also calling for even larger new investments in basic education and special education spending, allowing the increases over last year to keep up with inflation, as well as more funding for school building maintenance.

The Pennsylvania State Educators Association, the largest teachers’ union in the commonwealth, was more congratulatory. President Aaron Chapin said in a statement that “the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

“As a whole, this budget represents a major step forward in fully and fairly funding our public schools and addressing the educator shortage,” Chapin added. “While there’s no doubt that legislators, advocates, parents, and others will debate about specific line items in the proposal, the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

However, Chapin said he would like to see an even greater increase in special education funding to match the rising costs of services. PA Schools Work, a coalition of education advocates including the Public Interest Law Center and the Education Law Center has also called for more funding for special education and basic education funding.

Prison guards push back on plan to close correctional facilities

Shapiro proposed closing two correctional facilities as a cost-cutting measure, noting in a public summary of his budget that they had been operating under capacity. The administration says it has not identified which facilities might be shuttered.

The Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association decried the proposal.

“PSCOA will vigorously fight against this misguided decision. If passed, this proposal will endanger officers and inmates, devastate working families and potentially destroy local economies,” PSCOA President John Eckenrode said in a statement.

Eckenrode added that in 2019, violence in Pennsylvania prisons was “some of the worst I’ve seen in a quarter century of service.” He attributed that to overcrowding and said  “today, violence has dropped in part because the prison population is spread more evenly.”

Martin called the proposed closure “one thing in [the budget] I see as a positive.”

Cannabis

Advocates for recreational cannabis were glad to hear Shapiro support legalization in his budget.

“Gov. Shapiro’s budget proposal includes robust investments in our communities funded by, among other things, a responsible, recurring revenue stream from an adult-use cannabis market,” said Brit Crampsie, a spokesperson for the cannabis industry trade group, ResponsiblePA. “His vision for legalization in the state makes us competitive once again with neighboring states. We deserve an adult use cannabis market, just like our border states of Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. We deserve the jobs it supports and the revenue it generates.”

Shapiro has proposed legalizing cannabis as a new revenue source in previous budgets. This year, there is hope among longtime legalization proponents that the current deficit will spur lawmakers to action on a bill that would earn revenue from Pennsylvanians already purchasing marijuana either illegally or in other states.

“Pennsylvania residents shouldn’t be penalized for actions that are legal in states all around them,” said Peter Marcus, a spokesperson for Terrapin, a Pennsylvania-based medical dispensary operator. “Businesses like ours should be able to operate on a level playing field with those across the majority of Pennsylvania’s borders.”

But passing the bill may prove difficult.

Only a small handful of Republicans have voiced strong support for legalization. And Senate leadership has been non-committal. Though Ward signalled that the caucus may support legislation if Shapiro lead the conversations — and possibly made some concessions elsewhere.

“He can’t throw an idea out there, which he did last year, and say ‘let the legislature figure it out,’” Ward said. “What is his priority? What will he do to get some of this stuff across the finish line?”

Within the House Democratic caucus, views on what a legalization bill should look like differ. And they will likely need consensus to pass a bill.

Dueling proposals put out this session would open up the market up to private businesses, or see marijuana sold in state stores like liquor, respectively.

“On the issue of adult-use cannabis, there is real diversity of opinions among our members,” House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery), said after Shapiro’s address. Though he added that he’s confident a majority could come to consensus.

Conservative and progressive think tanks weigh in.

Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA), a conservative organization backed by the Koch network, said that Shapiro “talks a good game,” but said his budget proposal would make Pennsylvania more expensive.

“From embracing the costly foolishness of cap-and-trade taxes on energy emissions, to picking winners and losers with tax subsidies and rebates, it’s clear that Governor Shapiro will strangle Pennsylvania’s energy sector,” AFP-PA State Director Emily Greene said.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a statewide affiliate of the right-wing State Policy Network, said Shapiro’s budget proposal calls for “rash spending hikes, big bailouts for mass transit, more corporate welfare subsidies, and new energy taxes.”

“While his rhetoric suggested a spirit of collaboration, Shapiro’s promises of bipartisanship fell flat once again. Gov. Shapiro continues to miss the mark, choosing to force his own political agenda at the expense of common-sense, fiscally-sound policies that will help Pennsylvania families thrive,” said Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Andrew Lewis, a former GOP member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

The Keystone Research Center, which advocates for progressive policies, lauded Shapiro’s inclusion of a $15 minimum wage policy.

“This increase would particularly benefit women and workers of color who are overrepresented in low-wage jobs, while also generating additional state revenue through increased income tax collections,” said Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg. “The evidence from states that have already moved to $15 shows that these increases can be implemented without job losses, while reducing poverty and income inequality.”

What about the Trump administration?

Republicans and Democrats painted different pictures of how President Donald Trump’s administration will impact Pennsylvanians.

“The best thing we have going for us is the Trump economy, but only time will tell,” Pittman said. He warned lawmakers against making plans based on unknowns.

Asked whether he had concerns that the administration’s federal spending cuts could impact the state’s budget, Pittman said he didn’t expect they would.

Topper also rejected the notion that there was uncertainty being caused by the Trump administration that would impact Pennsylvania’s budget proposal.

“I think we look at our budgets based on what we have, and I think being cautious in what we quote, receive from the federal government is a good thing,” he said. “So I always think we have to be cautious in depending on support from the feds to balance our budget.”

But state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia), who serves as the Senate Minority Appropriations Committee chairperson, said that with the Trump administration making unprecedented cuts to congressionally-approved spending at breakneck speed, it was important that Shapiro’s proposal provided “a sense of calmness, thoughtfulness and a vision to move all of Pennsylvania’s people forward,”

“You compare that to the chaos that’s happening in Washington, DC,” he added. “What Gov. Shapiro is doing is, in many respects, trying to put a shield, a shield of protection, around what is happening in Washington.”

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.

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by Ian Karbal and John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
February 5, 2025

Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his third budget address on Tuesday, calling for an increase in funding to public education, mass transit, minimum wage, and the legalization of adult use cannabis.

Following Shapiro’s 90 plus minute address, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle weighed in on his proposed spending plan. So did advocacy groups representing a diverse set of issues and clients who would be impacted by his proposals.

Republican lawmakers cry foul, but signal willingness to work

Most of Shapiro’s lines that earned cheers from Democrats were met with silent or tepid responses by Republicans.

But with a majority in the Senate and an evenly divided state House, Shapiro will need support from GOP members to get his priorities funded and approved. (Democrats had a single seat majority until the death of Rep. Matt Gergely last month. A special election will be held in his historically Democratic district in March).

GOP lawmakers were largely critical of Shapiro’s proposal that would see the state spend more than his office projects it will bring in. Shapiro’s budget proposes offsetting that roughly $4.5 billion gap with surplus funds and a dip into the state’s rainy day fund. There were some areas where party leaders signalled agreement.

“Gov. Shapiro has a real appetite for spending,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) at a press conference. “We can’t spend money that we don’t have.”

Ward said many of Shapiro’s proposals, such as increased education and transit funding, sound good on paper, but would eat into the state’s rainy day fund, which she said should be saved for emergencies.

“We can’t spend down our rainy day fund. We can’t spend down all of our reserves,” she said.

Ward, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana), and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairperson Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) said they would like to see cuts specifically in education and human services.

The Senate GOP leaders said one way to save on education would be to spend less in school districts with declining enrollment. And Senate Republicans proposed cutting Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs, which can cost thousands of dollars.

Martin added that he was hopeful the Trump administration could make changes to Medicaid that would allow states more “flexibility … to devise plans.”

Ward was disappointed that Shapiro did not propose funding for private school tuition vouchers. When he was campaigning in 2022, Shapiro said he supported school vouchers, and proposed funding them in previous budgets. However, House Democrats united against them in 2023 and Shapiro ultimately demurred and did not revisit the issue last year.

“We didn’t hear a word about kids trapped in these failing schools,” Ward said, in reference to Shapiro’s previous plan to provide vouchers for kids living in the state’s lowest-performing school districts.

Senate Republicans, however, said there were some areas of agreement.

Pittman said there was “at least in broad concept” room for agreement on some of Shapiro’s low-cost policies to ensure access to health care. Those proposals include regulation of private equity firms purchasing hospitals and health care providers, though few details were offered. Shapiro also proposed allowing experienced nurse practitioners to practice medicine more independently in some cases.

House Republicans were also critical.

“What we do know about the proposal from the governor today is that it spends too much,” said House Minority Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford). “It’s unsustainable, moving us into the future, in future budget years, but it also doesn’t do enough in terms of policy to grow the economy.”

Although it was Shapiro’s third budget proposal, state Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington) said it was a continuation of policy from the previous administration

“So we’re now in our 10th year of hearing the same old, tired ideas for our commonwealth,” O’Neal said. “The governor just got done talking about Groundhog Day, and that’s exactly what we just heard.”

House Republicans also said Shapiro’s energy policies are preventing the commonwealth from moving forward.

House Appropriations Committee Minority Chair Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) said that Pennsylvania should be “unleashing our energy industry.”

O’Neal, when railing against the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, said that the “sky is the limit” if Pennsylvania doesn’t “handicap the natural gas industry.”

Another area where Republicans disagree with Shapiro is on raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. Though Topper said it would be on the table during budget negotiations.

“Raising the minimum wage does not grow the economy. It simply does not. It does not drive the economy the way that we need it to here in Pennsylvania,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But I’m sure everything will be on the table over the next few months.”

On transportation spending, Topper said reform has to go along with any funding. And he acknowledged that broader transportation funding would be necessary, covering infrastructure projects like road and bridge repairs, along with mass transit funding.

“It is one of the core functions of government to provide infrastructure for its citizens, to ensure that they can travel and goods and services can be moved,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But in addition to funding SEPTA, there has to be reforms within the system. And once again, this is a five party deal that the governor will need to bring together and ensure that all areas of the Commonwealth are equal in that regard.”

Democrats cheer Shapiro on mass transit and other proposals

Although the response from House Democrats was largely positive, there’s no room for division within the caucus if Republicans remain united.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) applauded Shapiro’s proposed funding increase for mass transit systems across the state.

“Hello SEPTA. Hello Port Authority. Hello every community across the commonwealth where they need to get our children to school, folks to work, and of course, those who are seniors to their doctors’ offices,” she said.

Democrats also dismissed Republican concerns about over-spending, and said continued investment will benefit the state’s economy.

“In order for every family and person to thrive, we have to make sure we don’t let up. We keep our foot on the gas and we work together and do not allow any disinvestments in our communities,” McClinton said. “I’m hearing that my colleagues from across the aisle and across the building are saying the same old, same old saying that we can’t afford to invest in Pennsylvania.

“Well, my question to them is, If not now, when? If not us, then who,” McClinton asked.

Prominent education advocates have mixed response:

The Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center, the non-profit groups that led a lawsuit against the state’s previous education funding model, applauded some of Shapiro’s proposals, but warned there were elements of his budget “which the General Assembly must address.”

After a lawsuit by parents and school districts, the Commonwealth Court ruled that in 2023 the state’s method of distributing funds between school districts was unconstitutionally inequitable.

In response, the legislature came up with a plan last year to distribute $4.5 billion to the state’s poorest schools over nine years at the current pace, with the first installment of  $500 million in the 2024-2025 budget. That pace is set to continue this year, with Shapiro proposing an identical investment this year.

But the advocacy groups would like to see the remaining funds paid off in four years. They are also calling for even larger new investments in basic education and special education spending, allowing the increases over last year to keep up with inflation, as well as more funding for school building maintenance.

The Pennsylvania State Educators Association, the largest teachers’ union in the commonwealth, was more congratulatory. President Aaron Chapin said in a statement that “the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

“As a whole, this budget represents a major step forward in fully and fairly funding our public schools and addressing the educator shortage,” Chapin added. “While there’s no doubt that legislators, advocates, parents, and others will debate about specific line items in the proposal, the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

However, Chapin said he would like to see an even greater increase in special education funding to match the rising costs of services. PA Schools Work, a coalition of education advocates including the Public Interest Law Center and the Education Law Center has also called for more funding for special education and basic education funding.

Prison guards push back on plan to close correctional facilities

Shapiro proposed closing two correctional facilities as a cost-cutting measure, noting in a public summary of his budget that they had been operating under capacity. The administration says it has not identified which facilities might be shuttered.

The Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association decried the proposal.

“PSCOA will vigorously fight against this misguided decision. If passed, this proposal will endanger officers and inmates, devastate working families and potentially destroy local economies,” PSCOA President John Eckenrode said in a statement.

Eckenrode added that in 2019, violence in Pennsylvania prisons was “some of the worst I’ve seen in a quarter century of service.” He attributed that to overcrowding and said  “today, violence has dropped in part because the prison population is spread more evenly.”

Martin called the proposed closure “one thing in [the budget] I see as a positive.”

Cannabis

Advocates for recreational cannabis were glad to hear Shapiro support legalization in his budget.

“Gov. Shapiro’s budget proposal includes robust investments in our communities funded by, among other things, a responsible, recurring revenue stream from an adult-use cannabis market,” said Brit Crampsie, a spokesperson for the cannabis industry trade group, ResponsiblePA. “His vision for legalization in the state makes us competitive once again with neighboring states. We deserve an adult use cannabis market, just like our border states of Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. We deserve the jobs it supports and the revenue it generates.”

Shapiro has proposed legalizing cannabis as a new revenue source in previous budgets. This year, there is hope among longtime legalization proponents that the current deficit will spur lawmakers to action on a bill that would earn revenue from Pennsylvanians already purchasing marijuana either illegally or in other states.

“Pennsylvania residents shouldn’t be penalized for actions that are legal in states all around them,” said Peter Marcus, a spokesperson for Terrapin, a Pennsylvania-based medical dispensary operator. “Businesses like ours should be able to operate on a level playing field with those across the majority of Pennsylvania’s borders.”

But passing the bill may prove difficult.

Only a small handful of Republicans have voiced strong support for legalization. And Senate leadership has been non-committal. Though Ward signalled that the caucus may support legislation if Shapiro lead the conversations — and possibly made some concessions elsewhere.

“He can’t throw an idea out there, which he did last year, and say ‘let the legislature figure it out,’” Ward said. “What is his priority? What will he do to get some of this stuff across the finish line?”

Within the House Democratic caucus, views on what a legalization bill should look like differ. And they will likely need consensus to pass a bill.

Dueling proposals put out this session would open up the market up to private businesses, or see marijuana sold in state stores like liquor, respectively.

“On the issue of adult-use cannabis, there is real diversity of opinions among our members,” House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery), said after Shapiro’s address. Though he added that he’s confident a majority could come to consensus.

Conservative and progressive think tanks weigh in.

Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA), a conservative organization backed by the Koch network, said that Shapiro “talks a good game,” but said his budget proposal would make Pennsylvania more expensive.

“From embracing the costly foolishness of cap-and-trade taxes on energy emissions, to picking winners and losers with tax subsidies and rebates, it’s clear that Governor Shapiro will strangle Pennsylvania’s energy sector,” AFP-PA State Director Emily Greene said.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a statewide affiliate of the right-wing State Policy Network, said Shapiro’s budget proposal calls for “rash spending hikes, big bailouts for mass transit, more corporate welfare subsidies, and new energy taxes.”

“While his rhetoric suggested a spirit of collaboration, Shapiro’s promises of bipartisanship fell flat once again. Gov. Shapiro continues to miss the mark, choosing to force his own political agenda at the expense of common-sense, fiscally-sound policies that will help Pennsylvania families thrive,” said Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Andrew Lewis, a former GOP member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

The Keystone Research Center, which advocates for progressive policies, lauded Shapiro’s inclusion of a $15 minimum wage policy.

“This increase would particularly benefit women and workers of color who are overrepresented in low-wage jobs, while also generating additional state revenue through increased income tax collections,” said Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg. “The evidence from states that have already moved to $15 shows that these increases can be implemented without job losses, while reducing poverty and income inequality.”

What about the Trump administration?

Republicans and Democrats painted different pictures of how President Donald Trump’s administration will impact Pennsylvanians.

“The best thing we have going for us is the Trump economy, but only time will tell,” Pittman said. He warned lawmakers against making plans based on unknowns.

Asked whether he had concerns that the administration’s federal spending cuts could impact the state’s budget, Pittman said he didn’t expect they would.

Topper also rejected the notion that there was uncertainty being caused by the Trump administration that would impact Pennsylvania’s budget proposal.

“I think we look at our budgets based on what we have, and I think being cautious in what we quote, receive from the federal government is a good thing,” he said. “So I always think we have to be cautious in depending on support from the feds to balance our budget.”

But state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia), who serves as the Senate Minority Appropriations Committee chairperson, said that with the Trump administration making unprecedented cuts to congressionally-approved spending at breakneck speed, it was important that Shapiro’s proposal provided “a sense of calmness, thoughtfulness and a vision to move all of Pennsylvania’s people forward,”

“You compare that to the chaos that’s happening in Washington, DC,” he added. “What Gov. Shapiro is doing is, in many respects, trying to put a shield, a shield of protection, around what is happening in Washington.”

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.

by Ian Karbal and John Cole, Pennsylvania Capital-Star
February 5, 2025

Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his third budget address on Tuesday, calling for an increase in funding to public education, mass transit, minimum wage, and the legalization of adult use cannabis.

Following Shapiro’s 90 plus minute address, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle weighed in on his proposed spending plan. So did advocacy groups representing a diverse set of issues and clients who would be impacted by his proposals.

Republican lawmakers cry foul, but signal willingness to work

Most of Shapiro’s lines that earned cheers from Democrats were met with silent or tepid responses by Republicans.

But with a majority in the Senate and an evenly divided state House, Shapiro will need support from GOP members to get his priorities funded and approved. (Democrats had a single seat majority until the death of Rep. Matt Gergely last month. A special election will be held in his historically Democratic district in March).

GOP lawmakers were largely critical of Shapiro’s proposal that would see the state spend more than his office projects it will bring in. Shapiro’s budget proposes offsetting that roughly $4.5 billion gap with surplus funds and a dip into the state’s rainy day fund. There were some areas where party leaders signalled agreement.

“Gov. Shapiro has a real appetite for spending,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) at a press conference. “We can’t spend money that we don’t have.”

Ward said many of Shapiro’s proposals, such as increased education and transit funding, sound good on paper, but would eat into the state’s rainy day fund, which she said should be saved for emergencies.

“We can’t spend down our rainy day fund. We can’t spend down all of our reserves,” she said.

Ward, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana), and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairperson Scott Martin (R-Lancaster) said they would like to see cuts specifically in education and human services.

The Senate GOP leaders said one way to save on education would be to spend less in school districts with declining enrollment. And Senate Republicans proposed cutting Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs, which can cost thousands of dollars.

Martin added that he was hopeful the Trump administration could make changes to Medicaid that would allow states more “flexibility … to devise plans.”

Ward was disappointed that Shapiro did not propose funding for private school tuition vouchers. When he was campaigning in 2022, Shapiro said he supported school vouchers, and proposed funding them in previous budgets. However, House Democrats united against them in 2023 and Shapiro ultimately demurred and did not revisit the issue last year.

“We didn’t hear a word about kids trapped in these failing schools,” Ward said, in reference to Shapiro’s previous plan to provide vouchers for kids living in the state’s lowest-performing school districts.

Senate Republicans, however, said there were some areas of agreement.

Pittman said there was “at least in broad concept” room for agreement on some of Shapiro’s low-cost policies to ensure access to health care. Those proposals include regulation of private equity firms purchasing hospitals and health care providers, though few details were offered. Shapiro also proposed allowing experienced nurse practitioners to practice medicine more independently in some cases.

House Republicans were also critical.

“What we do know about the proposal from the governor today is that it spends too much,” said House Minority Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford). “It’s unsustainable, moving us into the future, in future budget years, but it also doesn’t do enough in terms of policy to grow the economy.”

Although it was Shapiro’s third budget proposal, state Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington) said it was a continuation of policy from the previous administration

“So we’re now in our 10th year of hearing the same old, tired ideas for our commonwealth,” O’Neal said. “The governor just got done talking about Groundhog Day, and that’s exactly what we just heard.”

House Republicans also said Shapiro’s energy policies are preventing the commonwealth from moving forward.

House Appropriations Committee Minority Chair Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) said that Pennsylvania should be “unleashing our energy industry.”

O’Neal, when railing against the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, said that the “sky is the limit” if Pennsylvania doesn’t “handicap the natural gas industry.”

Another area where Republicans disagree with Shapiro is on raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. Though Topper said it would be on the table during budget negotiations.

“Raising the minimum wage does not grow the economy. It simply does not. It does not drive the economy the way that we need it to here in Pennsylvania,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But I’m sure everything will be on the table over the next few months.”

On transportation spending, Topper said reform has to go along with any funding. And he acknowledged that broader transportation funding would be necessary, covering infrastructure projects like road and bridge repairs, along with mass transit funding.

“It is one of the core functions of government to provide infrastructure for its citizens, to ensure that they can travel and goods and services can be moved,” Topper said in response to a question from the Capital-Star. “But in addition to funding SEPTA, there has to be reforms within the system. And once again, this is a five party deal that the governor will need to bring together and ensure that all areas of the Commonwealth are equal in that regard.”

Democrats cheer Shapiro on mass transit and other proposals

Although the response from House Democrats was largely positive, there’s no room for division within the caucus if Republicans remain united.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) applauded Shapiro’s proposed funding increase for mass transit systems across the state.

“Hello SEPTA. Hello Port Authority. Hello every community across the commonwealth where they need to get our children to school, folks to work, and of course, those who are seniors to their doctors’ offices,” she said.

Democrats also dismissed Republican concerns about over-spending, and said continued investment will benefit the state’s economy.

“In order for every family and person to thrive, we have to make sure we don’t let up. We keep our foot on the gas and we work together and do not allow any disinvestments in our communities,” McClinton said. “I’m hearing that my colleagues from across the aisle and across the building are saying the same old, same old saying that we can’t afford to invest in Pennsylvania.

“Well, my question to them is, If not now, when? If not us, then who,” McClinton asked.

Prominent education advocates have mixed response:

The Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center, the non-profit groups that led a lawsuit against the state’s previous education funding model, applauded some of Shapiro’s proposals, but warned there were elements of his budget “which the General Assembly must address.”

After a lawsuit by parents and school districts, the Commonwealth Court ruled that in 2023 the state’s method of distributing funds between school districts was unconstitutionally inequitable.

In response, the legislature came up with a plan last year to distribute $4.5 billion to the state’s poorest schools over nine years at the current pace, with the first installment of  $500 million in the 2024-2025 budget. That pace is set to continue this year, with Shapiro proposing an identical investment this year.

But the advocacy groups would like to see the remaining funds paid off in four years. They are also calling for even larger new investments in basic education and special education spending, allowing the increases over last year to keep up with inflation, as well as more funding for school building maintenance.

The Pennsylvania State Educators Association, the largest teachers’ union in the commonwealth, was more congratulatory. President Aaron Chapin said in a statement that “the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

“As a whole, this budget represents a major step forward in fully and fairly funding our public schools and addressing the educator shortage,” Chapin added. “While there’s no doubt that legislators, advocates, parents, and others will debate about specific line items in the proposal, the governor has absolutely knocked this budget out of the park.”

However, Chapin said he would like to see an even greater increase in special education funding to match the rising costs of services. PA Schools Work, a coalition of education advocates including the Public Interest Law Center and the Education Law Center has also called for more funding for special education and basic education funding.

Prison guards push back on plan to close correctional facilities

Shapiro proposed closing two correctional facilities as a cost-cutting measure, noting in a public summary of his budget that they had been operating under capacity. The administration says it has not identified which facilities might be shuttered.

The Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association decried the proposal.

“PSCOA will vigorously fight against this misguided decision. If passed, this proposal will endanger officers and inmates, devastate working families and potentially destroy local economies,” PSCOA President John Eckenrode said in a statement.

Eckenrode added that in 2019, violence in Pennsylvania prisons was “some of the worst I’ve seen in a quarter century of service.” He attributed that to overcrowding and said  “today, violence has dropped in part because the prison population is spread more evenly.”

Martin called the proposed closure “one thing in [the budget] I see as a positive.”

Cannabis

Advocates for recreational cannabis were glad to hear Shapiro support legalization in his budget.

“Gov. Shapiro’s budget proposal includes robust investments in our communities funded by, among other things, a responsible, recurring revenue stream from an adult-use cannabis market,” said Brit Crampsie, a spokesperson for the cannabis industry trade group, ResponsiblePA. “His vision for legalization in the state makes us competitive once again with neighboring states. We deserve an adult use cannabis market, just like our border states of Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. We deserve the jobs it supports and the revenue it generates.”

Shapiro has proposed legalizing cannabis as a new revenue source in previous budgets. This year, there is hope among longtime legalization proponents that the current deficit will spur lawmakers to action on a bill that would earn revenue from Pennsylvanians already purchasing marijuana either illegally or in other states.

“Pennsylvania residents shouldn’t be penalized for actions that are legal in states all around them,” said Peter Marcus, a spokesperson for Terrapin, a Pennsylvania-based medical dispensary operator. “Businesses like ours should be able to operate on a level playing field with those across the majority of Pennsylvania’s borders.”

But passing the bill may prove difficult.

Only a small handful of Republicans have voiced strong support for legalization. And Senate leadership has been non-committal. Though Ward signalled that the caucus may support legislation if Shapiro lead the conversations — and possibly made some concessions elsewhere.

“He can’t throw an idea out there, which he did last year, and say ‘let the legislature figure it out,’” Ward said. “What is his priority? What will he do to get some of this stuff across the finish line?”

Within the House Democratic caucus, views on what a legalization bill should look like differ. And they will likely need consensus to pass a bill.

Dueling proposals put out this session would open up the market up to private businesses, or see marijuana sold in state stores like liquor, respectively.

“On the issue of adult-use cannabis, there is real diversity of opinions among our members,” House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery), said after Shapiro’s address. Though he added that he’s confident a majority could come to consensus.

Conservative and progressive think tanks weigh in.

Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA), a conservative organization backed by the Koch network, said that Shapiro “talks a good game,” but said his budget proposal would make Pennsylvania more expensive.

“From embracing the costly foolishness of cap-and-trade taxes on energy emissions, to picking winners and losers with tax subsidies and rebates, it’s clear that Governor Shapiro will strangle Pennsylvania’s energy sector,” AFP-PA State Director Emily Greene said.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a statewide affiliate of the right-wing State Policy Network, said Shapiro’s budget proposal calls for “rash spending hikes, big bailouts for mass transit, more corporate welfare subsidies, and new energy taxes.”

“While his rhetoric suggested a spirit of collaboration, Shapiro’s promises of bipartisanship fell flat once again. Gov. Shapiro continues to miss the mark, choosing to force his own political agenda at the expense of common-sense, fiscally-sound policies that will help Pennsylvania families thrive,” said Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Andrew Lewis, a former GOP member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

The Keystone Research Center, which advocates for progressive policies, lauded Shapiro’s inclusion of a $15 minimum wage policy.

“This increase would particularly benefit women and workers of color who are overrepresented in low-wage jobs, while also generating additional state revenue through increased income tax collections,” said Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg. “The evidence from states that have already moved to $15 shows that these increases can be implemented without job losses, while reducing poverty and income inequality.”

What about the Trump administration?

Republicans and Democrats painted different pictures of how President Donald Trump’s administration will impact Pennsylvanians.

“The best thing we have going for us is the Trump economy, but only time will tell,” Pittman said. He warned lawmakers against making plans based on unknowns.

Asked whether he had concerns that the administration’s federal spending cuts could impact the state’s budget, Pittman said he didn’t expect they would.

Topper also rejected the notion that there was uncertainty being caused by the Trump administration that would impact Pennsylvania’s budget proposal.

“I think we look at our budgets based on what we have, and I think being cautious in what we quote, receive from the federal government is a good thing,” he said. “So I always think we have to be cautious in depending on support from the feds to balance our budget.”

But state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia), who serves as the Senate Minority Appropriations Committee chairperson, said that with the Trump administration making unprecedented cuts to congressionally-approved spending at breakneck speed, it was important that Shapiro’s proposal provided “a sense of calmness, thoughtfulness and a vision to move all of Pennsylvania’s people forward,”

“You compare that to the chaos that’s happening in Washington, DC,” he added. “What Gov. Shapiro is doing is, in many respects, trying to put a shield, a shield of protection, around what is happening in Washington.”

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.

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