Dear Friends,
The Governor’s proposed state budget presents a forward-looking vision for Pennsylvania. One that prioritizes long-term strength through investments in education, public safety, and opportunity. As Governor Shapiro said in his address, “what we’re doing, together, is working. We’re solving problems and getting stuff done to improve people’s lives. And Pennsylvania is on the rise.”
At the center of the proposal is a renewed commitment to public education. The budget includes significant new funding to address longstanding inequities and ensure that every student, regardless of ZIP code, has access to the resources they need to succeed.
This year’s proposal continues recent progress, directing hundreds of millions of additional dollars to the schools that need it most and strengthening both basic and special education. The proposal directs an additional $565 million through the bipartisan adequacy formula. Basic Education Funding increases by $50 million, totaling $8.31 billion; and Special Education Funding grows by $50 million, totaling $1.58 billion to support students with disabilities. The budget continues to reform cyber charter school funding by aligning payments more closely with actual costs. It also includes $111 million in funding directed towards school safety and mental health supports.
Beyond K–12 education, the proposal strengthens higher education, career and technical programs, and workforce training. For higher education, the budget proposal calls for a $30 million investment in performance-based funding to state related universities including Temple University, Penn State, and the University of Pittsburgh, $1.1 million to Lincoln University as well as $5.9 million for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and funding Grow PA Scholarships to help students pursue affordable postsecondary programs and obtain critical or in-demand jobs.
The Governor has made workforce development a priority of his administration and has increased funding for vo-tech, career and technical education (CTE), and apprenticeship programs by nearly 50 percent, increasing it from $118 million to $183 million over the last three years. Governor Shapiro emphasized that these investments are already producing results, noting that the Commonwealth has “registered 231 new pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships” and that, since he became governor, “more than 39,000 Pennsylvanians have participated in an apprenticeship.” The proposal aims to continue this progress by investing an additional $18 million in vo-tech, CTE, and apprenticeship programs, supporting high-quality STEM and computer science education, and expanding Schools-to-Work pathways to $7 million. This doubles funding for career development programs that bridge the gap between school and employment.
Public safety remains another core priority. Investment over the past 3 years have added 2000 more police and expanded afterschool programs and violence intervention initiatives.” Now, according to the Governor, and as a result, “violent crime is down 12 percent and fatal gun violence is down 42 percent.” This budget continues those efforts by supporting additional State Police cadet classes, funding for local fire companies, and proven violence-prevention programs.
The proposed 2026–27 budget invests $16.2 million to support four additional cadet classes and removes the statutory limit on the number of troopers, enabling greater patrol presence and quicker response times. The funding will provide training for 380 new state troopers starting in 2026–27 and sustain a consistent vehicle replacement schedule to modernize the PSP fleet and enhance officer safety.
The budget provides a $30 million investment in competitive grants through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC), doubling the annual funding level to strengthen recruitment, retention, and capital support for both volunteer and career fire companies. It also includes $550,000 to streamline Capitol Complex security contracts and proposes extending death and workers’ compensation benefits to first responders deployed by the Commonwealth during a disaster emergency declared by the Governor.
The proposal also expands investments in mental health services and family supports, including dedicated state funding for the 988 crisis system for the first time. Last year alone, the system handled “more than 145,000 calls from Pennsylvanians looking for help,” a reminder of how critical these services are for families across the Commonwealth.
Preparing workers for the jobs of the future is another key focus. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate has remained below the national average for 31 straight months, and the state has created more than 21,500 jobs in the past three years. Building on that progress, funding for apprenticeships, career and technical education, and workforce development programs will connect students and adult workers to good-paying jobs. Taken together, these investments reflect a long-term commitment to building a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Commonwealth.
This week in Lower Gwynedd, we celebrated the future of medical innovation, which illustrates why smart budget investments matter. On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson announced a $1 billion investment to build a new cell therapy manufacturing facility in Lower Gwynedd. This project will create more than 500 good-paying jobs, retain more than 5,800 existing positions across Pennsylvania, and generate approximately 4,000 construction jobs during the building phase. It’s a major boost for Montgomery County and further cements our leadership in life sciences and cutting-edge medical innovation.