After 135 days, the state budget impasse is over.
The state House of Representatives voted 156-47 Wednesday morning and the state Senate voted 40-9 Wednesday afternoon to pass the latest version of a state 2025-26 budget, on the 135th day of the budget impasse in Harrisburg.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has announced he will sign that budget at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Unlike the last budget vote in the House, many of the Republicans voted for the bill, including Minority Appropriations Chairman Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana; fellow Indiana County Rep. Brian Smith, R-Punxsutawney, and Reps. Mike Armanini of Kersey, Jill Cooper of Murrysville, Abby Major of Leechburg, and Jim Rigby of Ferndale.
Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township, the area’s only Democratic lawmaker, also was a yes vote, but Republican Reps. Josh Bashline of Clarion Township and Leslie Rossi of Unity Township were no votes.
In the Senate, Majority Appropriations Chairman Scott Martin, R-Lancaster County, chose not to cast a vote, while Sen. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson County, voted no, and yes votes included President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Hempfield Township; Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana; Minority Leader Jay Costa Jr., D-PIttsburgh, and Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria County.
According to Spotlight PA, it is a $50.1 billion spending plan, higher than previous state Senate plans, but also makes additional investments in public schools, creates a new tax credit for families, and ends the state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Also, it would reduce public school districts’ reimbursements to cyber charter schools, something sought by area educators including Indiana Area Superintendent Robert J. Heinrich Jr., send more than $500 million to the poorest schools to help close an “adequacy gap.”
One House member with a no vote from elsewhere in Western Pennsylvania issued his thoughts early Wednesday afternoon.
“I voted no on the main budget bill because it spends too much,” said Rep. Brad Roae, R-Meadville. “The governor’s budget proposal would have resulted in a tax increase in 2027. The lower spending level in the bill passed today will still cause a tax increase, but not until 2028. Pennsylvania is overspending, not under taxing.”
Another with a yes vote included this lawmaker from the Lehigh Valley …
“With the turmoil in Washington, D.C. and the resolve of the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans under justifiable scrutiny, voters across Pennsylvania issued a strong statement last week at the ballot box,” said Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Allentown. “I hope my colleagues in Harrisburg heard it as a repudiation of the divisive and destructive politics that has broken Washington and threatens the American economy and jobs of hard-working Pennsylvanians.”
This story will be updated.