Governor Josh Shapiro is calling for new measures to make Pennsylvania more attractive for workers in his first budget proposal.
Shapiro's budget proposal prioritized workforce development, including increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour, an upgraded unemployment compensation system, and more accessible child care.
The governor believes the lack of options for child care holds the state's economy back.
“In any given year, over a third of Pennsylvania parents report that child care problems impacted their job,” said Shapiro. “And our state economy loses nearly 3.5 billion dollars a year because of a lack of child care options.”
He's proposing a $67 million investment into childcare - adding Pennsylvania has 4,000 unfilled jobs in the field, and over 38,000 children on waitlists for care.
It's a $44.4 billion budget proposal.
Public safety was also a major force during his proposal.
Shapiro plans to both hire more officers and invest into violence prevention and the criminal justice system. Along with a tax credit for newly certified officers, the governor proposed funding four, 100-person state police cadet classes.
“Creating safe communities starts with ensuring police departments are well-staffed, well-funded, and well equipped,” said Shapiro. “37 It’s critically important that, as we hire more police, they be properly trained.”
State Police currently receive significant funding from the gas tax.
The governor wants to create a separate fund for them, which he says will reduce reliance on the gas tax by 100 million a year.
McKeesport officer Chuck Thomas, injured in a shootout with a suspect last month, was one of Shapiro's guests at the budget address.
Shapiro also called for more funding to education during the 90-minute-speech.
Those plans include an increase in funding for schools, special education and universal free breakfast for students.
He also preached bi-partisanship to the legislature.
“Through their votes, they asked us implicitly to come to the table, put aside the gimmicks or partisan litmus tests and deliver commonsense solutions to the very real problems that we are facing every day,” said Shapiro. “And the good news is, we have the flexibility to do this work because, together with my predecessor, you have put us in a position where we can make critical investments in our future.”