Published July 01. 2016 04:01PM
Highlights of the main budget bill passed Thursday by the Pennsylvania Legislature. Revenues to balance the budget remain in the works.
THE BIG PICTURE:The budget would increase spending through the state's main bank account to just over $31.5 billion. That is an increase of $1.5 billion, or 5 percent, from the state's prior enacted budget. The full spending authorization is an increase of $1.7 billion, or almost 6 percent, including $95 million in capital project funding moved into an off-budget program and $100 million in supplemental spending approved for the just-finished fiscal year.STATE TAXES:Budget makers projected that, under current law, the state will collect $31.6 billion in taxes and fees, before paying $1.3 billion in refunds. However, they have projected a hole of more than $1 billion in the spending plan, and there was no agreement on how to fill it.They have not identified a way to pay for capital project funding and school construction funding programs that will no longer be funded through the state's main bank account.INCREASES:•The Department of Human Services by $537.3 million, or nearly 5 percent, to nearly $12 billion.• Spending on pension obligations by about $450 million, or 5 percent, to $2.6 billion.• Aid for public school operations and instruction by $200 million, an increase of 3 percent to $6.1 billion.• Spending in the Department of Corrections by $153 million, or 7 percent, to nearly $2.4 billion.• Aid to higher education, including state system universities, state-related universities, student grants and community colleges, by $39 million, or 2.5 percent, to above $1.6 billion.