Cooper: Budget is Improvement on First Proposal, But PA Has More Work to Do

July 12, 2026

HARRISBURG – Upon the passage of the 2026-27 General Fund budget, Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland) issued the following statement regarding her favorable vote:

“I voted ‘yes’ on this 2026-27 budget because while far from perfect, the $50.8 billion budget is a better outcome than Gov. Josh Shapiro’s original $53.26 billion proposal, which would have raised taxes, drained our Rainy Day Fund and threatened our long-term financial health. This final agreement avoids those mistakes and protects taxpayers, helps families trying to make ends meet and nurtures a business environment for our employers trying to grow.

“By rallying against several detrimental policies originally discussed, the budget plan fights off broad-based tax increases, bad energy policies that would have spiked utility bills and placed costly mandates on small businesses.

“I was happy that my House Bill 2152 is included in the Education Code because it is a practical, research-backed way to support student well-being by helping districts adopt later start times that align with teens’ biological needs, improving focus, emotional balance and overall school climate. Rather than mandating change, the bill removes financial and logistical barriers and offers incentives through different grant funding pathways, making it easier for districts to implement a proven approach that reduces the negative impacts of student sleep deprivation. I am also happy that the Educational Improvement Tax Credit, which provides education support scholarships for low-income students, remains unchanged.

“That said, I want to be clear: this budget still spends too much and doesn’t fully deal with our long-term structural deficit. It also misses an opportunity to expand school choice for families who are waiting for better options. While this budget avoids the worst outcomes, I believe we still have more work to do to get our spending under control and put Pennsylvania on a stronger path.”



Representative Jill Cooper
55th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives