State Legislature Sends a Bipartisan Budget to the Governor

HARRISBURG – The General Assembly finalized a bipartisan, on-time 2016-17 spending bill this evening and sent the budget legislation to Gov. Tom Wolf for his signature. The governor’s office said he would sign it “as soon as there is a sustainable revenue package to pay for it.”

Supporters said the $31.53 billion budget bill (S.B. 1073) boosts funding for education at all levels and avoids broad-based tax increases.

The House initially passed the budget bill two days ago with a $250 million increase for pre-K-through-12 education, including $200 million for K-12, $30 million for pre-K and Head Start, and $20 million for special education.

The Senate on Wednesday added an additional $40 million for higher education at Pennsylvania’s state-owned, state-related and community colleges.

House Democratic Whip Mike Hanna said the $250 million increase for pre-K and K-12 education is a significant step in fulfilling a multi-year commitment by House Democrats to restore the devastating $1 billion in education cuts that schools statewide suffered during the previous administration.

“These new investments will help school districts return teachers to the classroom, reduce class sizes and bring back some of the education and extracurricular programs students have been missing,” he said.

“Coupled with the new basic education funding formula, we’ve made a good start toward reducing disparity among school districts, improving performance in all schools, and making sure every child has access to a quality education no matter where they live,” Hanna said.

The budget also includes new funding for the state’s fight against the heroin and opioid addiction crisis, including money to provide more Pennsylvanians with access to treatment centers and services.

Following the legislative approval of the spending plan Wolf issued the following statement:

“I want to commend leaders and members in both chambers for passing a bi-partisan, compromise budget that invests more money in early childhood, K through 12 and higher education, and also provides vital resources to combat the heroin crisis. I am pleased that working together we took this important step to move the commonwealth forward. I will sign the General Appropriations bill as soon as there is a sustainable revenue package to pay for it, and I look forward to continuing to work with the legislature to achieve this.”