Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro gives budget address to Pa General Assembly
Gov Shapiro gives budget address to Pa General Assembly
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is proposing a state budget that’s over $51 billion for the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal year.
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is proposing a state budget that’s over $51 billion for the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal year.
Shapiro shared his budget address before the General Assembly in Harrisburg Tuesday afternoon.
What we know:
The budget proposes raising the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $15, taxing and regulating tens of thousands of skill game terminals that are unregulated across Pennsylvania, and legalizing marijuana.
"I ask you to come together and send to my desk a bill that legalizes adult-use cannabis; expunges the records of people who have been convicted of nonviolent possession of small amounts of marijuana," said Governor Shapiro.
By the numbers:
In the first five years, Shapiro said legalizing marijuana will generate $1.3 billion in new state revenue.
The state budget proposal invests an additional $526 million in education, using last year’s new adequacy formula to drive money to schools that need it most. The School District of Philadelphia said if the budget is approved, that means $200 million in new state funding for the district.
SEPTA said under the proposal it would receive an additional $165 million in state funding, helping to close in on the agency’s $213 million budget shortfall and prevent significant fare increases and service cuts. A spokesperson for SEPTA said the budget proposal this year is very similar to last year’s proposal which was not approved by state lawmakers.
Gov. Shapiro expected to seek more money for schools and transit
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is expected to seek more money for public schools and public transit when he delivers his third budget proposal to lawmakers Tuesday. Shapiro is also expected to reprise his support for legalizing marijuana and introducing taxes on skill games viewed as competitors to casinos and lottery contests.
"We’re trying to reinforce we’ve gotten back to the basics in terms of focusing on service reliability, safety and security and efficiency so we’re going to continue to carry that message in Harrisburg," said Andrew Busch, spokesperson for SEPTA.
What's next:
Shapiro’s budget proposal must be approved by state lawmakers, including the Republican-controlled State Senate. Republican State Senate leaders were highly critical of Shapiro’s proposal and said the governor has an appetite for spending.