Harrisburg – Pennsylvania’s plans for a share of coronavirus aid and potential increases in funding for education are one of the issues debated by lawmakers and governors on Thursday in the final week of the fiscal year.
The leaders said the 2021-22 budget could end this weekend, but details were little known as high-level negotiations continued at the Capitol.
R-Center’s House of Representatives Kerry Benninghoff was optimistic about the end of the game.
“I don’t think there is anything difficult left. It’s all part of the process and there are many complexities, ”says Benninghoff.
Lehigh County veteran Peter Schweyer said it was always a good bet that budget negotiations take longer than expected.
“At this time of year, the Harrisburg Rumor Factory is the Harrisburg Rumor Factory,” said Schveyer. “It can be anything from a happy Kumbaya budget that funds education to something catastrophically bad. And depending on who you’re talking to, I’ll do both. I have heard of that. “
In February, Wolfe called on the state’s Republican-controlled legislature to increase government spending to $ 37.8 billion for fiscal year 2021/22 beginning July 1. Approved approximately $ 6 billion in new spending, or about 18 percent more than this year’s approved budget of $ 33.1 billion. Tighter tax collections have turned billions of dollar deficits into billions of dollars in surplus over the past year. Household analysts are currently forecasting a surplus of just over $ 3 billion or a total surplus of just over $ 40 billion for fiscal 2020/21 ending June 30.
“The Democrats at Pennsylvania House are fighting very hard to fund schools with a $ 3 billion surplus fairly,” said Joanna, minority leader in the House of Representatives in D-Philadelphia. McClinton said he was also demanding dangerous payments from frontline workers.
This year’s approved budget of $ 33.1 billion was balanced with over $ 3.3 billion in federal pandemic aid and over $ 500 million in transfers from out-of-budget government accounts. Including federal pandemic aid, spending came to nearly $ 36.5 billion. In other words, drawing on federal pandemic aid reduced the state’s tax dependency from $ 36.5 billion to $ 33.1 billion.
The budget for the 2021-22 budget year also relies on federal funds to reduce reliance on state taxes. It’s just how big the problem is. Many Republicans want to save most of it for the next few years.
Wolff’s proposal increases more than 20% of public schools, which could be approaching the $ 2 billion increase, although there is evidence that the Republican approach could be close to $ 300 million.
The bulk of Wolf’s claims, $ 1.35 billion, will be distributed to schools to pay for the $ 6.8 billion currently received and important operating expenses such as teachers’ salaries, operating expenses and materials.
Most of that $ 8.1 billion comes through a six-year-old school funding program that aims to eradicate inequality in funding for the poorest public schools in Pennsylvania. Part of that (about $ 1.1 billion) will guarantee you will get fewer school districts than you currently have.
Pennsylvania seldom makes use of its funding program, and Wolff’s proposal is about to go to trial in 2014 filed by some school districts accusing it of insufficient funding for public education. I’m going.
The last day of budget negotiations always includes transactions on other topics. On Thursday, legislators actively worked on an agreement to re-authorize mixed drinks for dining out.
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Budget Organizer hash ed funds and uses coronavirus money | news
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