HARRISBURG, June 27, 2019 – Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh/Northampton) today provided the following statement on the state’s new $33.9 billion budget proposal for fiscal 2019-20. The Senate approved the budget by a vote 42-8 today. The spending plan (House Bill 790) now goes to the governor for enactment:

“I’m pleased this budget holds the line on taxes while strengthening our investment in education. It will also stoke our state’s continued economic resurgence.

Using surplus dollars, we increased subsidies for public schools by $160 million, including almost $4 million more to the school districts I represent.  It provided an across-the-board 2 percent hike for college funding. The budget also includes a $25 million investment in the state’s earned income tax credit program that benefits private and parochial schools.

While I am pleased with the state’s continued investment in education, it is imperative that we change the law to distribute all educational subsidy dollars under the new equitable funding formula. The continued use of the old and antiquated funding formula to distribute the lion’s share of educational subsidies is patently unfair and the cause for many of the property tax hikes imposed on homeowners throughout our region.

Overall, I am pleased with this budget’s continued investment in economic and community development programs that grow our jobs and improve opportunities for all Pennsylvanians.  It is a robust economy that will continue to drive prosperity for all Pennsylvanians.  We need to continue to ensure that the money we invest in educating our youth is coupled with real job opportunities here in Pennsylvania.”

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