Gov. Shapiro’s Record $53.3B Budget Passes Pennsylvania House Amid Fiscal Concerns

Three House Republicans voted in support of the budget plan that passed the Democratic-controlled state House. The plan is the most expensive in state history.

On Wednesday, lawmakers in the state House passed Governor Shapiro’s budget proposal totalling $53.3 billion in spending. With a $2.7 billion increase from last year, the proposal is the most expensive in state history. 

The plan that passed the House is unlikely to end up being the state’s final budget. Five House Republicans voted to support it out of the Democratic-controlled House with a vote of 107-94 on Wednesday. 

Republicans in the Senate will be a large hurdle for the Governor’s planned budget, which includes several provisions the lawmakers are unlikely to support. 

“We continue to have profound concerns about the level of spending in the budget proposed by Gov. Shapiro and passed by the House today. We will continue to fight for a more fiscally responsible spending plan that better positions our Commonwealth to grow and prosper, without placing unreasonable financial burdens on Pennsylvania families and taxpayers,” Republican Senate leadership said in a joint statement. 

“The ball is now in the State Senate’s court. It’s time to get to work to deliver for Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro wrote on social media after his proposal passed the House. 

The proposal from Shapiro relies on a new tax on skill games and legalized recreational marijuana. Republicans have major concerns with those provisions and with the overall spending of the budget. 

The 2026-2027 budget proposed by Shapiro would require the state to pull $4.6 billion from the state’s “rainy day” fund, which is more than half of the fund’s current value. 

Republicans argue that this is a fiscally irresponsible move by the governor that prioritizes spending more than the state is bringing in. 

Democrats, on the other hand, have argued that aggressive spending and tax cuts will grow the state’s economy and fix the deficit in future years. 

“If last year’s budget process was a fiscal crisis, this year’s budget process has the potential to be a fiscal nightmare,” said Rep. Tim Bonner, a Republican of Mercer County.