A new budget proposal has been delivered to the Republican-led state Senate by House Democrats.
House Democrats in Harrisburg sent a proposal to the Republican-led state Senate for consideration in what was the first action in nearly two months towards a budget solution in the Commonwealth.
The House-approved plan totals $50.25 billion. In a 105 to 98 vote on Wednesday, the 100th day of the impasse, the House passed the proposal to the Senate with the support of three Republican representatives.
The proposed general appropriations bill calls for a $2.4 billion increase in spending over the 2024-2025 budget. It is a $300 million reduction in spending from a budget proposal passed by the House in July.
The bill also includes $565 million in additional funds for the Commonwealth’s underfunded school districts. Basic education would receive an increase of $105 million, while special education would see an increase of $40 million.
Decreases in spending come from reducing spending from the general fund for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources by $49 million. The costs would be shifted to the Oil and Gas Lease Fund, which takes in revenue from oil and gas development on state lands.
A $38 million cut from the Department of Health due to federal cuts is an additional source of reduced spending in the general appropriations bill.
The budget passed by the House this week is in the form of an amendment to Senate Bill 160, which was identical to last year’s budget.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans said they need more time to review the House proposal before holding a vote.
Both chambers of the legislature have adjourned until later this month.
“We have no idea what they’re doing over there,” said Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman prior to the House’s vote on the spending bill.
“The degree of communication between the administration and House Democrats has been sparse at best,” he told reporters.
Governor Shapiro slammed Senate Republicans’ decision to leave Harrisburg without holding a vote on the proposal.
“At some point, the Senate has to stop making excuses and show up for work to do their jobs. I spent the entire summer running back and forth between leader [Matt] Bradford and leader Pittman. I brought them together to have dialogue,” the governor said.
“There are obviously dynamics within the Senate Republican caucus that are making it very difficult for their leaders to find the necessary votes. Here’s the thing though, that’s their job,” Shapiro added.
Pittman reaffirmed that his caucus has worked towards compromise during Shapiro’s term.
“I think he’s using that as a very poor excuse, because he’s not had the ability to bring a divided legislature that he talked so much about together on a consensus project,” Pittman said.
