Jun. 25, 2019
HARRISBURG – Today, Rep. Meghan Schroeder (R-Bucks) voted on her first state budget since taking office in January, approving a $34 billion state spending plan that contains no new taxes or fees, provides record funding for education, and will restore at least $250 million to the state’s Rainy Day Fund.
The 2019-20 fiscal year budget proposes to spend $432 million more for preK-12 education, bringing the total to an all-time high of $12.8 billion. Basic education funding would increase by $160 million, special education would receive $50 million more, and Pre-K Counts and the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program would each get an additional $25 million.
Career and technical education, the focus of the legislature’s career development and job growth strategy, will receive $10 million in state funding, including $3 million for equipment grants.
The School Safety Grant program will be funded at $60 million and public libraries will receive an additional $5 million.
“As a member of the House Education Committee and as a parent, I am pleased that the budget continues to focus significant attention on education funding,” said Schroeder. “In my legislative district, the Centennial School District would receive $29.2 million, an increase of nearly 3%, and Central Bucks Schools would receive $64.7 million, or 3.2 % more than the current year. Higher education, including community colleges, will receive 2% increases,” she said.
Human services funding accounts for about 37% of the annual state budget. The new budget will provide additional funding for mental health services, programs for persons with intellectual disabilities, payments to nursing homes, home care workers, Naloxone for first responders, and early intervention for infants and toddlers.
Finally, the budget invests $19.5 million in agriculture, a 12.8% increase. The funding would provide for the creation of the Agriculture Business and Workforce Investment initiative to help new farmers get the assistance they need to be successful.
House Bill 790 passed in the House today and is headed to the state Senate for consideration. The state budget deadline is June 30.
Representative Meghan Schroeder
29th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
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