State Rep. Mike Armanini Comments On New State Budget

More than four months after the June 30 due date, the House, Senate and governor came together earlier this week to complete the 2025-26 state budget process.

The final plan spends $50.1 billion, a cut of $1.4 billion from the governor’s original proposal back in February.

Beyond the numbers, the budget agreement makes several policy changes that will help set up the Commonwealth for success in the future:

• A major roadblock for the state’s energy industry is removed as Pennsylvania is officially withdrawn from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Due to uncertainty and the threat of higher costs with RGGI, our Commonwealth has missed out on 22,000 direct energy-related jobs and nearly $8 billion in economic development. With this policy change, we will see more jobs, greater energy production, a more reliable electric grid and stabilized utility costs.

• Reforms to the state’s permitting process will enhance economic growth opportunities and increase our competitiveness while holding bureaucrats accountable. Key permits will be deemed approved if not reviewed and processed in a timely manner, and each state agency is required to establish a secure permit tracking system.

• An additional $50 million will increase the number of children in economically disadvantaged schools (EDS) who are eligible for assistance to go to the school of their choice through the EDS scholarship program. The budget plan also aims to boost literacy rates across the Commonwealth through the use of evidence-based reading instruction curriculum in schools, along with required screenings and reading intervention programs for any K-3 student who is identified as having a reading deficiency.

• Taxpayer dollars are protected and directed to those most in need through several initiatives to ensure the integrity of benefit programs such as Medical Assistance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

• Taxpayer dollars will be returned to working Pennsylvanians through the Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) Tax Credit Program. The credit will equal 10% of their federal Earned Income Tax Credit.