Breaking Down Shapiro’s First Budget Since Taking Office: Struggles, Strengths, and What It Means for Pennsylvania's Future
As we close out the Commonwealth's fiscal year, all attention has turned to Governor Shapiro’s first budget since taking office in January. Often the case, the budget framework has primarily already been determined. However, the funding vehicles known as “code bills” remain a work in progress, largely due to the collapse of a deal between the Governor and Senate Republicans.
In today’s political climate, what constitutes a win or a loss is not always clear, and the process is not always neat. This budget had its struggles, but we also believe it had its strengths, including:
Education: A $567 million increase in essential education funding. For the School District of Philadelphia, this translates to a 9% increase in education funding, which brings the total amount to over $1.5 billion in the region. Also included was $46.5 million for universal school breakfast, an item high on Governor Shapiro’s agenda that will impact many Philadelphia schools. The Level Up program, which assists Pennsylvania’s 100 poorest school districts, also received $100 million in funding.
Housing: The Whole-Home Repairs program, which helps residents repair, weatherize and adapt their homes, secured $50 million in the budget. This program is the first of its kind and has been copied in other states.
Criminal Justice: Another first comes in the form of a $7.5 million allocation to indigent defense funding, something for which Gov. Shapiro strongly advocated. This ensures public defenders have the resources they need to provide adequate legal assistance and representation for their clients who would not otherwise be able to afford an attorney.
Food Insecurity: In addition to significant first-time investments, the Fresh Food Financing Initiative received $2 million for its mission of providing loans and grants to nonprofits and businesses which distribute fresh food and improve the lives of many low- and middle-income Pennsylvania residents. The Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund supplies grants and assistance to organizations that seek to diminish gun and group-related violence in Pennsylvania. This fund received a $10 million increase, bringing its total to $40 million.
As the House and Senate break from session until September, the exact allocation of funds to different programs is still up for negotiation. Code bills that are necessary to enable the content of additional items in the budget will have to be drafted and discussed by legislators as well.
Among these, the fiscal code bill holds particular significance as it encompasses discretionary spending that members utilize to fund various projects within their respective districts. With pressure from many organizations across the Commonwealth, we expect lawmakers to be prepared to take on code bills with full attention in the fall, if not sooner.
Stay tuned for updates as our team follows the budget through its process of finalization and coding.