Pickett, Owlett: Pennsylvania Budget Passes Without Touching Rainy Day Fund, Highlights Need for Future Growth

July 13, 2026

HARRISBURG – Reps. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Wyoming) and Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford) today issued the following statement in support of House passage of the 2026-27 state budget:

“The budget we were presented with and passed yesterday resolved critical concerns we had when the governor introduced his proposal in February. This budget brought spending down to $50.8 billion while avoiding new taxes for Pennsylvanians and leaving the state’s Rainy Day Fund intact. However, this was certainly not a budget we would have written ourselves and demonstrates how compromise serves an imperative role in the budgeting process.

“We were impressed with how educational spending was handled this year, with schools again sharing $100 million for facility improvement projects. A $10 million investment in career and technical schools and retaining the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program demonstrates the Commonwealth’s dedication to school choice – supporting our children and the next generation of Pennsylvanians.

“The proposal also sets aside $775 million for rapid deployment projects for our roads and bridges, serving as the final piece our communities need to repair rural roads and bridges across the Commonwealth.

“As important as what is in the budget are the items that were dropped from the governor’s original plan, including the legalization of recreational marijuana and an exorbitant tax on skill games which are vital to supporting clubs and small businesses in our communities.

“Of course, there are things we would have liked to have seen included in the budget agreement, such as support for our emergency services departments that are struggling to continue their life-saving mission, and the permitting changes we need to empower our communities to protect themselves against extreme flooding as we just experienced last week. We will continue to advocate for these initiatives until they come to fruition.

“No budget is perfect, and what we’re seeing this year is no exception. Although we were able to bring spending significantly down from the original proposal, it is still beyond what we would like to see for Pennsylvania. We are pleased to have a budget in place but are committed to continuing our work to grow our economy, increase revenues and expand opportunities for the people of the Northern Tier.”

Representative Tina Pickett
110th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Lindsey Cook
717-772-9833
www.RepPickett.com | Facebook.com/RepPickett