Jun. 27, 2015
HARRISBURG – Rep. James R. Santora (R-Delaware) today voted in support of a $30.18 billion state spending plan that includes significant investments in public education and fully funds human services without raising existing taxes or creating new ones.
“This is a solid budget plan that increases funding for all levels of education across the Commonwealth by $200 million without raising taxes on hard-working Pennsylvanians,” Santora said. “The governor needs to take this proposal seriously and sign it into law so that we can begin laying the foundation for greater and more equitable education investments in the future.”
The plan’s historic increases in public education funding include an additional $100 million for basic education; $25 million for Pre-K Counts and $5 million for Headstart; $20 million for special education; $5 million for the Education Improvement Tax Credit; $41 million for higher education; and $2.1 million for the mobile science and math education programs line item, which Gov. Tom Wolf eliminated in his budget proposal. These funds will be driven out using the fair funding formula developed by the bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission.
“We were able to exceed the amount of education dollars that our local school districts initially expected to receive,” Santora said. “Upper Darby School District, for instance, will get an increase over last year of more than $1 million in new basic and special education funding under this plan. These funds will help to ease current financial and enrollment stress and ensure that our students receive a world-class education.”
While the House is expected to vote in the coming days on a proposal that would address the state’s growing pension crisis, the budget plan fully funds the state’s $1.7 billion obligation to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System.
The plan also increases funding to vital health and human services programs, including a 10 percent increase for domestic violence and rape crisis programs, a 6.5 percent increase to drug and alcohol programs and a $41 million increase to services for individuals with disabilities. It also restores funding to hospital-based burn centers, neonatal services, critical access hospitals, diabetes programs, regional poison control centers, epilepsy support and bio-tech research that would have been eliminated under the governor’s proposal.
“This budget will send $5 million to Crozer-Chester Medical System, which includes Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill. That’s a $2 million dollar increase over last year and will result in an additional $2 million match from the federal government. Fair Acres Geriatric Center will also receive $2 million under this plan. These funds will ensure that our residents and senior citizens do not have to leave the 163rd District to receive high quality health care,” Santora said.
The proposal now goes to the Senate for consideration. It is on track to be presented to the governor by the June 30 deadline to enact a spending plan for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
“A government that works requires a budget that is signed,” Santora said. “I urge the governor to put Pennsylvanians above politics and sign this budget.”
Representative James R. Santora
163rd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jonathan Anzur
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