SENATE PASSES SPENDING PACKAGE THAT MAINTAINS PENNSYLVANIA’S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION

            HARRISBURG, October 6 – Senate Democratic Leader Robert Mellow (Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) is urging the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to move quickly to end the 2009 budget crisis.

            Senate Bill 1085, a $27.8 billion General Appropriations Bill, passed the Senate today by a vote of 43-6. An accompanying two-year revenue plan that raises $3.2 billion in FY 09/10 and more than $1 billion in recurring revenue also secured Senate approval and was sent to the House.

            “The end is in sight. This budget nightmare could end within a week’s time if things move as efficiently as they should,” said Mellow. “Pennsylvanians will then have a budget in place that shows a deep commitment to education and making sure our school children remain competitive. The $300 million increase in the Basic Subsidy for Education should also protect the homeowners from the risk of a local property tax hike.”

            This budget plan also restores more than $60 million to critical community, economic and job development programs. Funding for higher education, hospitals, burn and trauma centers, and state veterans homes was also restored.

            “We were able to fund these programs and protect our priorities without any broad-based tax increase. That is no small feat in the midst of a $3.2 billion dollar shortfall in revenue. We were able to do this by putting politics aside and working in a bipartisan way.” Mellow added. 

Highlights of Senate Bill 1085:

         Funding for veterans homes was restored back to the governor’s proposed level of $82 million

         More than $208 million in state and federal cuts restored for hospitals

         Pre-K Counts funding that was maintained at last year’s level of $86.4 million dollars

         Head Start Supplemental Funding was also held at $39.5 million

         In addition to the $300 increase in the Basic Education Subsidy, some school districts will  receive a portion of the $344.8 million in federal Title I ARRA funds. Each school district will also receive a portion of the $11.1 million in Title II D technology money.

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