Governor Josh Shapiro visited the Philadelphia Social Education Center on August 1, 2025 to discuss the financing of the Pennsylvania program on crime and crime (PCCD) of intervention and violence prevention (VIP). (Commonwealth Media Services)
When the calendar turned to August, the state budget in Pennsylvania is delayed one month. Governor Josh Shapiro and leaders from the General Assembly said that they were still making progress, but they did not reach an agreement.
“We all understand the problems to be terminated to achieve the final contract,” Shapiro said on Friday to reporters in Philadelphia. “I think we work together to do this.”
Shapiro said that both sides know what the key problems are, and the frustrating is that there will be no agreement yet.
“But I also admit that we work at a time when we not only have a divided legislator, but we have many divisions in our society and finding this common plane – this is extremely important,” said Shapiro. “It took longer than I would like, but I think we will get there and understand important issues that should be resolved.”
July 14 Democratically control, State House raised an offer of $ 50.6 billion to the state senate directed by GOP. Since then, House Democrats have maintained that it depends on the senate to the next step in this process.
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The leader of the majority of the Senate Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) he wrote in social media On Wednesday, “we have various visions for the future of the community of nations, but we cooperate in the transition to move this budget forward. Regardless of the divided government or political philosophy, some of these problems are simply extremely complex and should be done correctly.”
Jesse Topper’s home minority leader (R-Bedford) said Newstalk 103.7 FM On Friday, he “moves very slowly”, but said that the reason why the leaders say that it was positive is that “nothing blew up to some extent (that) the side does not say yet.”
“The reason why it is so difficult is that the problems we are talking about are so transforming in terms of our future, and both sides simply see it so differently,” he added.
Topper said that they want to work on a compromise, but warned: “If we do not get some changes in the political initiative in terms of strengthening parental position and the reform of the school’s choice, in terms of reform of powers and benefits that will affect the integrity and change of our daily lives, or on increasing power, or we will not be able to increase tax, which we will not have to see that will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search, which will not be a search. time. “
One of the problems that took the central stage during negotiations Financing of the mass transport agencyAs the cuts and tariff increases circulate, the longer the deadlock lasts. In June, the house was over Transport financing package This would provide almost $ 300 million fresh funds for mass transport and a half billion dollars for the repair of roads and bridges.
Senate minority leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said During the update of budget negotiations on Friday, the financing of mass transit is “high” on the priority list.
“Our Senate Democratic Club is ready with 23 votes supporting the Shapiro government proposal in relation to the financing of mass mass transport for the entire community,” said Costa.
Costa also emphasized the financing of roads and bridges, education and protection of social and human services programs as critical.
At least two Republicans in the Senate would have to support funds for mass transit, even if every democrat voted for the package.
On Thursday evening, Pittman said“Our state has a structural deficit, just like Septa. With a discussion about all additional dollars in the case of mass transport, this reality requires significant reforms and billing measures to ensure long -term success of mass transit.”
Shapiro told journalists on Friday that he understands “how extremely important” financing mass transport for you, noticing that he had proposed it twice in his budget and that he earlier before Funds bent on the highway in November To stop immediate hiking and grow for sept.
“We will continue working on this matter,” said Shapiro.
Last week, Three Republican senators have introduced an account package This would provide additional supervision and fresh measures in comparison with SEPTA. However, the package did not include financing.
Asked if he supported the proposals, Shapiro said that he wanted to “make sure that we finance mass transit, and we will have a wider dialogue of other regulations that they can, but do not have to.”
“I’m not going to enter it here in this environment,” said Shapiro.
Septa places characters at bus stops In the entire region of Philadelphia, the warning that if the funds do not come to the agency, the cuts of services will start on August 24.
“If this person lives in the north -eastern Philadelphia, call Senator (Joe) Picozzi, who is a Republican in state senate, and tell him to return to Harrisburg and vote to adopt transit financing in a way as the House of Democrats,” Shapiro said.
Picozzi, who is one of the authors of the SEPTA responsibility package, said he supports the financing of mass transport. Shapiro said a republican legislator after the comments NBC Philadelphia that “the inhabitants of the Great North -East want to see a better partition. We want to finance and responsibility for the results of tariffs, safety and purity.”
On Tuesday, Spotlight Pa The Secretary of Pennsylvania for the budget Uri Monson was reported, he warned that the state would not be able to earn at least $ 2.5 billion in payments to schools, poviats and others among the ongoing budget deadlock.
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Topper criticized this movement, claiming that he thought the governor was sending this message “, arguing that the state treasurer” could release funds to those if necessary. “
“But at the end of the day, it is my duty to ensure that this budget is balanced and that we do everything in our power to get a high -quality product,” said Topper. “And if the governor wants to try to use some of these tactics to press his program, I would like to know … What is this program, except being on a thicket.”
The President of the Senate Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) also seemed to augment the criticism of Shapiro on Friday, telling Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that these letters are an attempt “just trying to make people develop”. She added: “This is the largest gas lighting administration I have ever worked with.”
Costa, a democratic leader in the Senate, seemed to repeat the sentiment of Shapiro, saying that “we are moving slowly, slower than I would, of course, but I think that at the end of the day we are making progress and I think that this is important for the inhabitants of Pennsylvania.”
Shapiro said there is one thing that both sides can agree.
“We all have to compromise and that’s what we are doing now,” he said.
On Friday afternoon, no chamber has session days for the next week, although this can change in a miniature time.
