135 days after the last one expired, Pennsylvania finally has a new budget.
At a Harrisburg news conference joined by State House and Senate leaders, Governor Shapiro signed the $50.1 budget into law.
Although it was months in the making, Shapiro said it was finally reached through give and take, staying firm on key issues for him.
“I think the key is, when you’re in these positions and I know the leaders feel the same way, is staying at the table, staying true to your principals and values, but also understanding the needs of the folks on the other side, who got elected by a different constituency and represent a different, particular point of view,” said Shaprio.
The budget includes things like a state version of the Earned Income Tax Credit, cuts a key business tax and increases funding for highway safety and improvement.
Still unresolved, however, transit funding, as both Pittsburgh Regional Transit and SEPTA have tapped into capital budgets to avert rate hikes and service cuts.
The spokesperson for Allegheny County. Abigail Gardner had this statement regarding the newly signed state budget:
“Allegheny County is grateful that the state has passed a budget. We appreciate Governor Shapiro and legislative leaders hard work throughout the night to get it done. We look forward to continuing to work on long term public transportation funding, a critical issue that was not able to be addressed in this budget. While Allegheny County waits for roughly $150M in state reimbursements to arrive, we recognize the county lost out on investment income over the last several months and therefore the county will continue a spending and hiring freeze through the end of the year".