Vogel: Bipartisan Budget Bill Advances Key Investments in Our Schools, Our Workforce and Our Farmers

HARRISBURG - Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47) breaks down some of the key investments made through the bipartisan $50.1 billion state budget approved by the General Assembly today. Only the governor's signature is now left to finalize Pennsylvania's spending plan for this fiscal year.

"Through these critical reforms, we have prevented Pennsylvanians from being affected by Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed plan which would have increased our spending by 7.5% and in turn set our state on the path toward mass broad-based tax increases next year," said Vogel. "After months of intense negotiations, we were able to agree on a more reasonable, fiscally responsible solution that invests in our schools, our workforce and our farmers all while protecting Pennsylvania taxpayers."

Championing Fiscal Responsibility and Maintaining Important Tax Cuts

Cutting nearly $1.4 billion in spending from Shapiro's initial proposal, this budget utilizes $3 billion of lapsed funding from state agencies and special funds to fill budget gaps and rebases spending on some line items to reflect actual expenditures to use taxpayer dollars more efficiently - all accomplished without touching the Rainy Day Fund or imposing new tax increases.

Eliminating Participation in RGGI and Reforming PA's Permitting Process

Ensuring Pennsylvania families and job creators are not burdened by more than a billion dollars in new electricity taxes, this budget includes a provision eliminating the illegal regulation mandating Pennsylvania's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

By not entering RGGI, and therefore not having new energy taxes, this budget protects consumers from dealing with even more severe consequences including the closure of PA-based power plants, job losses and the threat of rolling blackouts in the future.

Vogel added, "Stopping the RGGI electricity tax is a huge win for every consumer of electricity in PA. Families continue to feel the strain of inflationary pressure and do not need to see any additional increases in their household bills. Eliminating RGGI also clears a major hurdle that prevented energy providers from investing in our commonwealth and paves the way for the kind of energy growth that will expand our economy to prevent significant new cost burdens.

Additionally, critical reforms were made to PA's permitting process to increase economic competitiveness by requiring a wide variety of environmental permits to be deemed approved after a certain period. Doing so ensures applicants are aware of the time frame for consideration of their application and can appeal any permits that are denied - providing certainty to the process and ending the current practice of dragging out the permitting process for many months without resolution.

Promoting Student Achievement and Empowering Families

The budget includes a $50 million expansion of the state's popular Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to support more school choice opportunities for families in disadvantaged schools.

The agreement also increased funding to Pennsylvania's education system with the Ready to Learn Block Grant program receiving a $562 million increase, Basic Education receiving a $105 million increase, Special Education receiving a $40 million increase and Pre-K Counts receiving a $9.5 million increase.

An additional $7.5 million will support the Grow PA Scholarship Grant program created by Senate Republicans last year to provide grants of up to $5,000 to students pursuing higher education for in-demand fields, provided they agree to stay and work in Pennsylvania after graduation.

Senate Republicans also restored Shapiro's proposed $15 million cut to workforce development programs, ensuring the programs can continue to help train Pennsylvanians for high-quality, family-sustaining jobs.

Investing in Avian Influenza Monitoring and Food Assistance Programs

Lastly, the plan protects and promotes Pennsylvania's farmers by including key provisions to ensure the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System can continue to identify potential outbreaks of avian influenza and providing a $7 million increase for Farmer's Market Food Coupons and a $4 million increase for the State Food Purchase program.

CONTACTS: Heather Burke