Shapiro reveals $44.4 billion budget, talks investment in education

Shapiro headed into his first budget negotiations well-positioned to ask for more spending. The state has a $6.7 billion surplus in its general fund and $5 billion in the Rainy Day Fund.

The proposed budget would use some of those funds to cover a total budget increase of $1.56 billion, or 3.6%.

“We are prepared to weather a storm should it come. We can also afford to make critical investments for the good people of Pennsylvania right now,” Shapiro said in his address.

The budget would put a large chunk of those investments into education, ranging from pre-K to college and tech school.

The Wolf administration ended its final budget last year with a historic $1.8 billion increase in education funding. Shapiro’s budget would increase last year’s level by $914.6 million.

In a press conference following the budget address, Republicans said they did not want to dip into the Rainy Day Fund at all, and in any case, more funding isn’t the answer to improve education.

[raystickley]

I was right
Shapiro is destroying Pennsylvania

[PAFloridian]

Shapiro shouldn't be in office. He wouldn't be if it weren't for Dominion