Gov. Wolf's last budget, like his first, will feature schools
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Gov. Tom Wolf's eighth and last budget proposal being delivered to lawmakers Tuesday is expected to push state spending well past $40 billion for the first time, as the Democrat will ask Republicans for another substantial increase in state aid for public schools.
Wolf will address a joint session of the House and Senate at 11:30 a.m.
The Democrat began his time in office trying to wipe out deep funding disparities between the poorest and wealthiest public schools, and he has said he will try again to persuade lawmakers to "fully fund" districts that get less than their share of aid under Pennsylvania's current funding formula.
In addition to helping public schools, Wolf may push to increase rate reimbursements for direct care workers who serve the elderly and disabled through Medicaid and marshal more money for highway and bridge work.
He is unlikely to propose an increase in the state income or sales taxes, the state’s two main sources of income.
The state’s bank accounts are flush from an economy juiced with federal pandemic subsidies, and a multibillion-dollar surplus is projected when the 2022-23 fiscal year starts on July 1.
Still, much of the surplus will be necessary to pick up the slack left by roughly $4 billion in federal pandemic aid that is footing state Medicaid bills this year.
Wolf, who is constitutionally required to leave office next January when his second term ends, is touting himself as the only governor since Dick Thornburgh in 1987 to leave a cash surplus to his successor.
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