BUDGET PASSES AS SHAPIRO ANNOUNCES VETO OF PART OF HIS OWN SCHOOL FUNDING PLAN

Wednesday night, the PA House passed a $45 billion budget, but it came with an announcement from Governor Josh Shapiro that he will line-item veto his own proposal for money for a new private-school funding program.

The main spending plan was approved by a 117-86 vote in the state house.  The primary sticking point in the budget has been education funding, which this year included a $100 million program for Pennsylvania Award for Student Success program, or PASS.  The program would have given families with students in low-achieving school districts between $2500 and $15,000 in scholarships on a first-come first-served basis to send the students to private or religious schools.  While the plan was approved by Senate Republicans, it was opposed by House Democrats, teachers’ unions and school boards.  In a statement announcing the house passage of the budget, Shapiro said that he will veto the program saying he felt the House and Senate would not reach a consensus on the item and was “unwilling to hold up the entire budget process over this issue.”

Shapiro’s statement also touted the $1 billion investment in K-12 schools, including increases to the Level Up program and the universal free breakfast program, along with numerous investments in community and economic development and other areas.

In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, along with President Pro Tempore of the Senate Kim Ward and Appropriations Committee Chair Scott Martin said their caucus had negotiated with Shapiro in good faith and were willing to stand behind him to support the PASS program, but felt that Shapiro betrayed the agreement made by both sides.  They added “Strong leadership requires the ability to bring people together, but instead we are met with Governor Shapiro’s failure to deliver his commitment to empower parents and give children access to educational opportunities.”

State Representative Jim Struzzi voted in favor of the budget, while Brian Smith voted against it.  The budget will go to Shapiro’s desk where he is expected to sign it into law.