Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday unveiled his proposed $81 billion 2017-18 state budget, which includes no broad-based tax increase.
It also includes no new money for Penn State.
Under Wolf’s proposal, Penn State would receive $230,436,000 in general support funds in 2017-18, the same appropriation as the current year. It also proposes flat funding for Penn State’s Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport at $20,074,000.
‘Understanding the budget challenges in Harrisburg, we appreciate that Gov. Wolf has proposed to maintain Penn State’s current level of state funding,’ Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said. ‘The governor’s action… is a reflection of his continued support of Penn State and higher education in Pennsylvania.
When Wolf took office in 2015, he pledged to restore Penn State to its 2010-11 funding level of $264.3 million. For 2011-12, former Gov. Tom Corbett proposed massive cuts to higher education funding, including to Penn State. Those were stemmed in the final budget approved by the legislature, but the university still suffered a $68 million loss in total state funding.
Wolf’s first budget in 2015 appropriated $224.8, an increase of more than $10 million from Corbett’s final budget the prior year.
In the fall, Penn State requested a $25 million appropriation increase for 2017-18.
‘Penn State’s appropriation from the Commonwealth is vitally important to thousands of Pennsylvania families, and it helps the University to achieve its mission of serving the citizens of Pennsylvania,’ Powers added. ‘The continued investment in Penn State is an investment in the Commonwealth’s future, its economy, and the quality of life of its citizens.
‘While we understand that this is the first step in the state appropriation process, we look forward to meeting with lawmakers to discuss how Penn State’s excellence in teaching, research and outreach can help drive Pennsylvania’s long-term economic prosperity.’
The proposed budget keeps funding flat for the other state-related universities — Temple, Pitt and Lincoln — and includes a a $9 million increase for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
Wolf’s budget includes new funding to fight the heroin and opioid crisis, including $10 million to provide Naloxone to first responders and law enforcement, $3.4 million for drug courts that divert offenders to treatment and funding to implement substance abuse treatment centers.
It also includes a combined $200 million in new funding for early childhood, basic and special education.
State Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Benner Township) said he was pleased to see Wolf favor cost savings over tax increases, but that the budget does not address two major cost-drivers for the state.
“It includes a limited number of ideas about how the state can save money and does nothing to address skyrocketing pensions and Medicaid spending,’ Corman said.
Combined, the State Employees Retirement System and Public School Employees Retirement System cost the state nearly $3 billion this year.
State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Bellefonte) said further belt-tightening is needed.
‘While I am encouraged to see some cost-saving measures included in the governor’s budget, before any tax is considered, we must look at all, not just some, potential savings,’ he said. “I look forward to working toward a responsible state budget that right-sizes government, provides high-quality educational opportunities, and encourages job growth and a healthy economy.”
State Rep. Scott Conklin applauded Wolf’s investment in education.
‘I am pleased that Governor Wolf and I share the same focus on education,’ Conklin said. ‘From making sure students get a healthy breakfast to start their day, to recognizing the need to keep our colleges and universities at the front of education, this is an ambitious plan to invest in education. We need to fund education in a comprehensive manor by investing at the pre-K level all the way through to job training and workforce development.
