A Balanced, Bipartisan Budget for Pennsylvania

Rep. Paul Takac November 14, 2025 | 2:56 PM

Dear Neighbor,

At long last, Pennsylvania has a balanced, responsible, and bipartisan budget. Getting here was certainly not easy, but my House Democratic colleagues and I, along with Governor Shapiro, stood firm. This budget makes historic investments in every public school student, supports working families, and preserves vital services—all without raising taxes or tapping the Rainy Day Fund. With costs already rising for so many, I’ve ensured this budget helps make life more affordable for you and your family.

This is a responsible budget that helps working people and strengthens our communities. It lowers costs for families, combats hunger and healthcare cuts, and prepares us for whatever comes next from an unpredictable Washington, D.C. It ensures that our townships and boroughs can retain the dedicated public servants who plow our roads, maintain our parks, and respond to emergencies.

The plan also increases school funding so teachers and students in districts like State College, Bald Eagle, Keystone Central, and Bellefonte have the resources they need to learn and succeed. Additionally, it begins to reduce the excess funding for underperforming and unaccountable cyber charter schools—allowing local districts and their taxpayers to keep more of their own money.

In addition, this budget expands mental health and social services for those in crisis, invests in repairing roads and bridges, protects our air and water, and supports the small businesses that keep our local economy strong. It creates good-paying, clean-energy jobs, invests in children, protects seniors, and stands up for taxpayers—both today and in the future.

That said, this budget was a compromise. I did not get everything I wanted—none of us did. But that is how our system is supposed to work. We had to make some very difficult decisions, especially once Senate Republicans finally got serious and came to the table to resolve the budget crisis they themselves created.

But let me be perfectly clear: my House colleagues and I are not backing down from our commitments to fight for long-term solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensure a living wage for all Pennsylvanians, and provide sustainable funding for public transit in all 67 counties.

This is what responsible governance and real leadership look like. Our schools, local governments, and non-profits were struggling—not to mention many of our neighbors and their families. This budget reflects responsible governance, balancing fiscal discipline with compassion. Without touching the $7.5 billion in the Rainy Day Fund and with no tax increases, we’re meeting our needs without mortgaging our future.

Thank you for your patience, belief, and steadfast support during these last few difficult months. And as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me.

Onward,

Paul