Budget Wins + Working For You

Rep. Chris Pielli November 21, 2025 | 2:19 PM

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Dear Neighbors,

We finally have a budget. Although it took over 130 days, our team never stopped fighting to ensure that West Chester's priorities are addressed now and into the future.

Last week, I voted for a balanced state budget with NO tax increases and no dipping into the Rainy Day fund. A budget that reflects the values and commitment to all working families by increasing funding for every student and saves hundreds of thousands of dollars for our West Chester Area School District. A budget that puts money back into your pockets and contains a list of historic firsts like Pennsylvania’s very own EITC tax credit for working families (Working Families Tax Credit), Cyber Charter School reform, increased funding for Child Care Dependent tax credits, a massive increase in food assistance programs to address the fallout of Washington’s cuts, and more. This is a budget that makes everyday needs more affordable for you and your families. See below for more details.

I’m proud to report that we’ve secured historic funding for our public schools, clean energy, job creation, and efforts to fight food insecurity in our community, an issue that has become critical in recent months due to uncertainty around federal SNAP funding. We also expanded our Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits, so you can benefit from greater savings when you file your taxes.

Working Families Tax Credit — First Time for Pennsylvanians

For the first time in Pennsylvania history, House Democrats successfully passed a new and historic Working Families Tax Credit as part of the state budget. This will be a supplement to anyone claiming the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.

With prices rising due to tariffs and inflation, affordability is the biggest issue facing Pennsylvanians. This new tax credit will help to ease the burden for working families.

In Chester County, an estimated 17,885 beneficiaries could save a total of $3.3M dollars countywide.

When Pennsylvanians file their federal and state taxes, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue will automatically calculate the state credit.
Anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC will now automatically qualify for the state credit, helping reduce taxes owed and putting more money back in hardworking Pennsylvanians’ pockets.

2025-26 State Budget is WORKING FOR EVERY STUDENT and TAXPAYER in the West Chester Area School District

This state budget delivers tangible results for students, parents, and taxpayers across Pennsylvania. It also fulfills our state constitutional obligation to give every student the resources they need to succeed.

For West Chester Area School District, the state budget allocates a $643,000 (or 3.2%) increase in state funding. ALL without raising your state taxes.

Our most important priority is our children. They are our future. As such, we are proud to continue investing in our students because the future dividends will reap the continuation of an extraordinary gift - a free, fair, and unconquerable nation.

Cyber Charter School Reform Saves $569,191 for West Chester Area School District in 2025-26 School Year

The 2025-26 state budget changes the cyber charter school tuition rate and saves school districts $178 million in total across PA.

Another historic and long overdue first, this state budget includes Cyber Charter Reform solutions designed to improve the quality of education for ALL public school students in Pennsylvania:

We developed a fair funding formula for cyber charter schools helping to address overpayments and profits at the expense of real brick and mortar, tax payer funded, public schools. This will save PA taxpayers $178 million dollars and our local West Chester Area School District taxpayers $569,191.
Cyber Charters will now be required to establish attendance policies to determine when a child has an absence or is present for instruction - encouraging student success, accountability and safety.
Students who are habitually truant at school will NOT be able to transfer to a Cyber Charter School, unless a judge rules that it's in the student’s best interest. These important changes enable us to improve Students’ education, safety and well-being.

Photo credit: Dan Gleiter - PennLive

This budget was a long and arduous journey. A budget truly reflects our values, and throughout the process, my colleagues and I refused to compromise on our belief that the everyday needs of workers, patients, students, teachers, and public servants must be addressed in a way that honors the labor and contributions they make to Pennsylvania each day. We still have work to do—investing properly in public transportation, advancing clean energy, and protecting our environment—so the struggle continues. In the meantime, as we look to the future, I am honored to have the opportunity to serve you every day, and I will continue working hard for you both in Harrisburg and in my district.