The chairman of the Jordan Harris Committee (D-Hiladelphia) is applauded during the budget address of Josh Shapiro on February 4, 2025, before the joint session of the General Assembly in Pennsylvania. (Photo of Commonwealth Media Services)
The state legislator will have the opportunity to question the secretaries of the office of Josh Shapiro’s office regarding his budget proposal in the amount of $ 51.5 billion in a series of hearing starting Tuesday and lasting over the next three weeks.
During interrogations, the state agency manages the details of the governor’s priorities, while the legislators of the Chamber and the Senate grill them on the proposed trips or cuts.
Economic development and community
First, before the House Committee on Tuesday is the Department of the Community and Secretary of Economic Development Rick Siger. DCED is the agency responsible for supporting growth and innovation in the state economy, while promoting Pennsylvania as a good place to conduct business and visit.
While the DCED demand by $ 2.3 billion is 11% boost compared to the current budget, Shapiro news is emphasized by the Agency’s participation in the program identifying areas in which state resources are not effectively used.
To this end, DCED will undergo what Shaprio described as the main reorganization to create a business team to promote the community as “an ideal place to run a business” and “strengthen the general perception of Pennsylvania” as a state highly arranged for his environment -friendly environment.
During last year’s interrogation in the budget, legislators pressed the DCED budget to Siger on the effectiveness of agency business development programs. They will probably have questions about the novel website program, which focuses on $ 500 million related to prospectively developing industrial places to attract novel companies to the state.
Income
On Tuesday, in the Senate, the Tax Secretary Pat Browne will present Shapiro forecasts regarding tax collection and tax plans over the coming year. They include legalized recreational marijuana and machine skills tax.
The Department is responsible for collecting and separating state taxes, including personal income tax, business taxes and special fees for products such as motor fuel. His budget request is relatively diminutive is $ 230 million, but provides each other part of the state government that resources need to provide services to Pennsylvanians.
Can Pennsylvania create the perfect marijuana law?
In previous budget presentations, the legislators questioned the Shapiro administration forecasts and long -term solvency of the state. Republicans claimed that this was exposed to a structural deficit, because each of the Shapiro budgets relied on surpluses and reserves to balance expenses. The forecasts also include taxes on products that are currently illegal or illegal, but that Shapiro would like legislators to regulate.
Initial cannabis and skill games are the need to balance the benefits of novel income with potential social diseases. But Shapiro emphasized that the lack of action in matters consolidates financial drainage of the state as a game of skills that appeared in bars and multi -branch stores in the whole state, eat casinos and lottery revenues. He notes that people also spend money in neighboring states where recreational marijuana is legal.
Higher education
Leaders of two offices responsible for the administration of the State Higher Education System, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (Passhe), which supervises 10 state universities, and the Higher Education Aid Agency Pennsylvania (Pheaa) will also appear on Tuesday before the Senate.
Last year, the Senate Republicans asked questions about the proposed merger of Shapiro Passhe universities and 15 social schools in Pennsylvania as part of a common management system. Shapiro asked for over $ 660 million for state universities, which includes an boost of $ 40 million to permission to passhe schools, such as universities of Millersville and Shippensburg, maintaining the tuition level for the eighth year in a row.
Pheaa supervises state student aid programs. This includes a scholarship for students who meet the required training in the class, which Shapiro proposes to expand.
The expenditure plan includes $ 594 million for facilitate programs in higher education.
The Committee for the Affairs of the Chamber will be interviewed on Wednesday on financing formulas based on the results of state universities, including Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh and Temple University.
Since last year, the financing council based on results, appointed group of legislators and university administrators, studied how to create a formula of financing universities related to the state. It will be based on performance indicators, such as school graduation indicators and achieving adult education. The budget covers $ 60 million for universities after the formula.
Transport
Transport Secretary Mike Carroll is to appear on Wednesday before the Committee for the Affairs of the Chamber.
With the largest public transport agency in Pennsylvania, before which Shapiro called an boost in transit financing by $ 283 million. But the villages were blocked by legislators, noticing highways and other forms of transport, they are also in the face of a yawning gap between the available financing and the growing needs over the next decade.
Dear PA. They would receive more money from gas tax in the next budget, but the financing gap on the highway remains
The legislator’s compromise in the amount of 80.5 million dollars for transit, roads and bridges did not associate, forcing Shapiro to redirect the federal financing of motorways to maintain the south -eastern Pennsylvania.
This year, Shapiro again proposes an boost in USD 292.5 million in transit financing as part of a general budget application worth $ 11.6 billion per Penndot. Democratic and republican legislators said they were looking for a sustainable transport plan, which includes a fixed stream of income to keep up with the costs of maintaining the road network.
