Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – July 13, 2026 – on Sunday, Senator Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-17, Delaware/Montgomery) voted “YES” on Pennsylvania’s 2026-2027 state budget. The General Assembly sent the budget to Governor Shapiro’s desk 12 days later June 30, the deadline set by the constitution.
The final fiscal budget expenditure was $50.849 billion, an raise of 3.7% from the previous year.
“My Senate Democratic colleagues and I have fought to ensure that every budget investment truly prioritizes hard-working Pennsylvanians and their families, especially when Republicans in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C., have no problem pushing them aside.” said Senator Cappelletti. “This year’s national budget includes compromises on both sides of the aisle, reflecting the reality of our divided government. While I am pleased that we have been able to collectively invest in the services that keep our Commonwealth running – albeit with a 12-day delay – it is still A lot work to do when we return to Harrisburg in the fall.
Senator Cappelletti is proud to celebrate several aspects of this year’s budget, especially those that improve affordable services and resources across all 67 counties:
Progress in public education
- $565 million for adequate and equitable funding for public education. Everyone school district in Senate District 17 received funding this year.
- $154 million for career and technical education, broadly expanding opportunities for newborn Pennsylvanians entering the workforce.
- $125 million for public school facility improvements. This has added $375 million in funding to the Commonwealth over the last three years to ensure that public education infrastructure supports a successful learning environment.
- $40 million in scholarships for students and teachers, which is an raise of $10 million over last year to ensure program implementation continues to be successful.
Uplifting vulnerable Pennsylvanians
- $10 million for the 988 network. in Pennsylvania 93% 988 calls result in resolution of the crisis without the need for further intervention, and this investment ensures the continuity and availability of mental health services.
- $24.1 million for rape crisis centers, doubling the previous amount of funding for uplifting survivors in the Commonwealth.
- $62.15 million for violence intervention and prevention programs which will fund initiatives in District 17 and beyond.
Putting Pennsylvania’s children and families first
- More than $200 million in tax relief through the Pennsylvania Workers’ Tax Credit. This will reduce taxes for nearly a million hard-working Pennsylvanians.
- Continuation of tax relief for children and dependents continue to tackle the childcare affordability crisis decisively.
- $30 million for child care worker retention bonus, which will serve more than 55,000 child care workers providing crucial care across the Commonwealth.
Room for improvement
While this year’s budget saw many victories, Senator Cappelletti shared the following statement pointing out where the Legislature fell brief of its goal and where there is room for further improvement throughout the remainder of the session calendar:
“Pennsylvanians are struggling and deserve to see the impact of taxes improving their situation everyone aspect of their lives. There were several issues this year that deserved attention, but the Legislature let it go.”
“Funding public transportation is at the top of my list. The crisis SEPTA – and many other transit systems serving all 67 counties – faced last year due to Senate Republicans’ refusal to act has seriously disrupted the lives of thousands of Pennsylvanians. Public transportation is a public good, not a luxury. We cannot allow this vital infrastructure to fail. Yet Senate Republicans appear to have not learned the lessons of 2025 or taken any action this year to establish sustainable, comprehensive financing for transport.
“To accomplish this budget, Senate Republicans also relied on one-time revenue streams, fund transfers and payment postponements. We know there are several opportunities for new and continuing revenue streams, such as taxing ultra-wealthy tech corporations, raising our terrible minimum wageand much more. Make no mistake: we Down we have opportunities to generate more revenue here in Pennsylvania to better provide crucial services and meet the up-to-date needs of our constituents. Senate Republicans rejected these proactive measures and left the matter unfinished.
“Going forward, we must address these shortcomings to ensure the Commonwealth serves every Pennsylvanian.”
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