June has passed, and Governor Shapiro and lawmakers in Harrisburg are still locked in negotiations to finalize Pennsylvania’s spending plan for the next year.
A budget is a statement of priorities.
In Washington, Donald Trump and his corporate polluter cronies are trying to ram through a budget bill that would pay for massive tax cuts to billionaires by raising energy prices for working families.
In the face of these unprecedented headwinds, we’re proud to stand with Governor Shapiro and environmental champions in the legislature who are taking a different course. They’re fighting for a state budget that makes important investments to lower energy costs, create union jobs and protect the air we drink and the water we breathe.
Top among these priorities is a $25 million investment in the Solar for Schools program. This program passed last year with overwhelming bipartisan support and is already lowering costs for taxpayers by allowing schools across Pennsylvania to make the switch to cheaper and locally produced solar energy — creating union jobs at the same time.
This money would open this program up to even more schools, allowing districts across the state to lower their energy costs and put more resources into classrooms.
Supporting the solar industry in Pennsylvania is even more critical now as Trump’s “big, ugly bill” threatens to devastate the fast-growing industry, derail progress on making energy more affordable for families, and limit our power to fight climate change.
At the same time, the legislature should approve $50 million for the PA Home Preservation Program. This new initiative builds off the success of the Whole-Home Repairs Program and would provide working families with resources to make critically needed repairs that would save energy and allow them to stay in their homes.
Nearly 60% of all homes in Pennsylvania were built before 1970, and this program is designed to help working families meet the challenges of our aging housing stock by replacing leaky roofs, addressing critical health and safety issues and also taking measures to lower utility costs through energy efficiency measures.
This bipartisan initiative isn’t just a win for the environment, it will also help combat blight and improve the health of Pennsylvania families.
Finally, transportation is the sector that emits the most carbon pollution. And a centerpiece of ongoing budget negotiations is critically needed funding for mass transit.
The state House of Representatives, on a bipartisan basis, recently passed HB 1364, which would provide a $1.5 billion investment in Pennsylvania’s public transit systems over the next five years.
This funding is critically needed to avert devastating fare increases and service cuts that are on the horizon as federal COVID-19 relief money runs out. If Harrisburg fails to act, it will become much more difficult for workers to get to their jobs, seniors to get to their medical appointments and students to get to school in every corner of the state.
This issue is particularly important to Bucks County, where workers at health care institutions like Doylestown Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center rely on frequent bus service, and where historic downtowns are based around regional rail stations.
Funding transit will also help keep cars off the road, reducing congestion, curbing climate pollution and improving air quality.
READ: With Washington Stepping Back on Clean Energy, Harrisburg Must Step Up
And finally, with Trump administration attacks on our public lands ramping up, it’s even more important that Pennsylvania step up and invest in its own extensive system of state parks.
We’re asking that the legislature increase funding to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to allow the state to tackle deferred maintenance and ensure that our public open spaces meet the changing needs of Pennsylvania families.
In an era of divided government, it’s more important than ever that Pennsylvanians stand up and make their voices heard. In the coming days, we’re asking that you call your legislators and tell them that you support Governor Shapiro’s top environmental priorities.
By working together, we can help build a brighter future for our commonwealth and work to protect our families from the negative fallout of Trump’s Washington.
