HARRISBURG – Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27) voted today to advance a bipartisan state budget plan that will help grow Pennsylvania’s economy and make key improvements to the spending plan the governor proposed earlier this year.
The spending plan safeguards the state’s emergency Rainy Day Fund by reducing overall spending and utilizing approximately $3 billion in lapsed funding to help balance the budget without new taxes.
“This year’s budget strikes an important balance between fiscal responsibility and investment in our people,” Culver said. “It supports families through the new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit, strengthens education opportunities for students, and continues to grow our workforce and economy without raising taxes.”
The Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit is something Culver has championed since serving in the House of Representatives. “I am proud that this year’s budget includes this tax credit that will provide tangible relief for more than 700,000 households.” Culver said.
As chair of the Senate Education Committee, Culver touted investments in education and workforce development. “This budget includes additional funding for Basic Education, Special Education, Pre-K Counts, and the Ready to Learn Block Grant program, along with an expansion of the state’s popular Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to support more school choice opportunities for families in disadvantaged schools.” said Culver.
An additional $7.5 million will support the Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program, which provides up to $5,000 annually for students pursuing degrees in high-demand fields who agree to stay and work in Pennsylvania after graduation. A $15 million cut to workforce development programs was also restored, ensuring these programs can continue to help train Pennsylvanians for high-quality, family-sustaining jobs.
The budget continues policies that make Pennsylvania more competitive for business development and job growth, including the ongoing phase-down of the Corporate Net Income Tax and the preservation of the Net Operating Loss deduction. As a result of these pro-growth policies, Pennsylvania job creators will pay less in taxes than they would have under the previous rate in 2023.
The budget protects programs that benefit older Pennsylvanians by transferring $100 million to the Lottery Fund, providing $90 million in recurring funding from i-gaming, and adding $10 million for Area Agencies on Aging.
It also supports Pennsylvania’s farmers by funding the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System to identify potential outbreaks and by increasing funding for the Farmers Market Food Coupon Program and the State Food Purchase Program.
As part of the budget agreement, the regulation mandating Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state pact that would have added more than a billion dollars in new electricity taxes on Pennsylvania families and job creators, was eliminated.
“It has been a long road to get here, but I am glad that we were able to reach this final budget agreement, which includes a number of bipartisan solutions that move Pennsylvania forward.” Culver said.
VIDEO LINK: General Budget Statement
CONTACT: Sam Clepper