With the stroke of a pen, Pennsylvania’s $32.7 billion budget has become law without any of the rancor or contentiousness that accompanied the process in the first three years of Gov. Tom Wolf’s tenure.

As I predicted last week, stripped of any major controversial items, such as tax increases and a determination not to get bogged down in Harrisburg during an election year, this year’s budget sailed through both houses of the General Assembly with unusually strong support from both the Republican majority and minority Democrats.

The vote was 188-10 in the House and 47-2 in the Senate.

Instead of the war of words and polarization that accompanied the previous three budget seasons, this one brought out superlatives from leaders and rank-and-file members of both parties.

In signing the bill, Wolf said, “This year’s bipartisan budget continues to increase opportunities for all Pennsylvanians and shows the results of our hard work to get our finances under control.”

Sen. John Yudichak, D-Carbon, said the results “reflect a spirited bipartisan effort to implement a state budget with no new tax increases and a series of smart investments in education, economic development and environmental protection.”

Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, who has been a strong advocate in the state’s battle against opioid abuses and addiction, praised the inclusion of additional funding and resources to fight the epidemic. The budget also includes increases for ambulance services and provides funding for an additional 285 state police troopers.

Heffley hailed the budget as being fiscally responsible since it limits spending with just a 1.7 percent increase over 2017-18. “By holding the line on taxes here, and thanks to the Trump administration in Washington, our economy has been able to grow naturally. This shows our free market economy can thrive when government stays out of the private sector and doesn’t overtax and overregulate our residents,” Heffley said.

Heffley took a jab at Wolf, who is running for a second four-year term this year. “We have outright rejected Gov. Tom Wolf’s calls for new or increased taxes again this year. Over the past three budgets, we have saved each Pennsylvanian more than $600.”

Wolf did not propose any increase in the broad-based income and sales taxes, but he attempted once again to get the Legislature to pass a tax on oil and gas drillers in the Marcellus Shale. Now, these producers pay a fee, which is much smaller than most states bring in through an actual tax. Republicans rejected Wolf’s proposal for the fourth year in a row.

Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Schuylkill, is an advocate of developing a state budget much the way that individuals do. “You start with how much you will bring in and then figure out how much you can spend,” Knowles said.

Although he supported the budget, he said he had hoped that Wolf would include property tax elimination in his budget. “Sadly, that didn’t happen,” Knowles said.

Freshman Rep. Zach Mako, R-Northampton and Lehigh, said that he was pleased that he and his colleagues were able to pass an on-time budget. By doing so, he said that it “keeps Pennsylvania on the right track to grow the economy.”

Mako applauded the increased support for education — $100 million for basic education, a 3.3 percent increase to the State System of Higher Education and a 3.3 percent increase to community colleges and the state-related universities. “This should help reduce the need for in-state tuition increases,” Mako said.

Rep. Maureen Madden, D-Monroe, said while she is pleased that the budget contains these education increases she is hopeful that all school districts will be funded fairly and equitably in the near future.

“Your ZIP code should not determine the school funding in your district. School districts with the greatest student poverty are always hit hardest,” Madden said.

“Everyone in Pennsylvania deserves access to a quality education, child care and better resources and services, and this budget does just that,” Madden said.

Agreeing and voting “yes” on her first state budget, Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, who was chosen in a special election earlier this year to fill the unexpired term of her late husband, Dan McNeill, said, “Investments in education are important because they show our commitment to putting Pennsylvania’s children on a positive path for their future. That all starts with adequately funding prekindergarten and Head Start programs.”

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com