Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the $50.85 billion budget into law Sunday, July 12, following bipartisan approval in the General Assembly. The Senate approved the agreement 44-6, while the House passed the General Appropriations bill by a 167-35 vote.
Sen. Dave Argall and Rep. Jamie Barton both supported the agreement, although Barton said he continues to believe the state is spending too much.
Argall Supports Agreement Without Tax Increase
Argall called the budget the most important vote lawmakers would cast this year.
“While it’s unusual for us to be at the Capitol on Saturdays and Sundays, this was necessary to finally move the annual budget legislation to the governor’s desk,” Argall said following the Senate vote.
Shapiro signed the legislation later that day.
Argall said Shapiro’s original proposal would have increased spending by approximately $2.7 billion, or 5.4%, and withdrawn about $4.6 billion from the state’s emergency reserves.
According to Argall, the final agreement cut more than $1.1 billion from the governor’s spending request and does not require a withdrawal from the Rainy Day Fund.
Argall also said Senate negotiators reduced more than $1 billion in proposed spending within the Department of Human Services, including areas he characterized as involving waste, fraud and abuse.
The agreement directs PennDOT to deploy an additional $775 million over two fiscal years for state-owned highway repairs. That includes $500 million during the current fiscal year and $275 million in the following year.
Barton Says Final Plan Is More Affordable
Barton said the final agreement was significantly more reasonable than the spending plan Shapiro presented in February.
“In February, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a spending plan north of $53 billion,” Barton said. “I’m proud to report that common sense prevailed with the final budget product.”
The enacted budget spends approximately $50.85 billion, about $1.8 billion more than the previous fiscal year.
“While I still feel that spending is too high, it’s at least a plan Pennsylvania can actually afford, unlike the governor’s original proposal,” Barton said.
Barton praised the agreement for leaving the Rainy Day Fund intact. He also supported the removal of anticipated revenue from the potential legalization of recreational marijuana, which had been included in Shapiro’s proposal.
The Berks and Schuylkill County lawmaker highlighted the budget’s education and workforce provisions, including an additional $10 million for career and technical education centers and an expansion of the Grow PA program.
Grow PA provides assistance to eligible students studying for careers considered in demand within Pennsylvania. Recipients are required to remain and work in Pennsylvania after graduation, or the funding converts into a loan that must be repaid.
Barton also welcomed additional funding for rural road and bridge projects.
“Too often, too much of this kind of funding gets sent to the big cities, leaving rural Pennsylvanians, like us in Berks and Schuylkill counties, behind,” Barton said. “That won’t be the case with this round of funding.”
Barton said the targeted increases for education and infrastructure could help grow Pennsylvania’s economy, even though he remains concerned about the overall level of spending.
Other Schuylkill County Lawmakers Contacted
Skook News also requested comments about the budget from Reps. Joanne Stehr, Dane Watro and Tim Twardzik but had not received responses as of publication.