Mihalek: Budget Plan Hits the Mark on Priorities

July 12, 2026

HARRISBURG –Upon the passage of the 2026-27 General Fund budget, Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny/Washington) issued the following statement regarding her favorable vote:

“I review every state budget with a simple checklist, not unlike the families I have the honor of representing. Can we responsibly afford the overall amount? Do the investments meet both long- and short-term priorities? Does it set us up for budgeting success in the future? Sticking to those sound principles allows Harrisburg to adequately fund the programs and services valued by our friends and neighbors, without calling on taxpayers for more of their hard-earned money. This year, while I don’t love everything about the budget, it hits most the marks on that checklist.

“At $50.8 billion, the overall spend number is higher than I would have liked, but well within revenue expectations, and it does not rely on tax increases or raids of Pennsylvania’s Rainy Day Fund. In the world of education, I am happy that Pennsylvania schools will see a roughly 5% increase in funding, and that includes $10 million to address a waiting list for career and technical education enrollment. Road and bridge projects in rural areas will see progress, as $775 million in funding will be appropriated for shovel-ready projects.

“In previous years, partisan bickering ran amok while budget negotiations were unproductive and unnecessarily hostile, which puts undue burdens on school districts and care providers. By successfully coming to a budget agreement, we can now drive focus on the quality-of-life issues that make our communities affordable, safe places to live, work and play.”


Representative Natalie Mihalek
40th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives