Pa. Gov. Shapiro delivers 2026-2027 budget address
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro delivered his address on the budget for 2026-2027 on Tuesday.
The $53 billion budget proposal comes just months after last year’s budget was finalized following months of back-and-forth in Harrisburg over spending elements in the plan.
During his remarks, Shapiro said he’s looking to secure sustainable, recurring funding for mass transit to begin in 2027.
While Shapiro didn’t mention SEPTA by name, he said the budget aims to secure more mass transit funding by transferring some sales and tax revenue to the Pennsylvania Transportation Trust Fund. Shapiro’s office said it would generate $300 million annually for transportation services.
SEPTA funding became a major sticking point during last year’s state budget approval, forcing Shapiro to approve $220 million in capital funding for the transit agency.
On education, the governor said his budget proposal directs $565 million more to the schools that need it most through a new adequacy formula.
He also, once again, called for the state to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Shapiro said increasing the minimum wage would save the commonwealth $300 million a year on programs like Medicare.
Shapiro also said his proposal calls for a Federal Response Fund that would be created with $100 million in order to help mitigate any actions — or inaction — from the federal government that could threaten services that Pennsylvanians rely on.
To read the governor’s full speech, as prepared for delivery, click here.
The Governor’s guests during his remarks
In a statement released ahead of Tuesday’s address the Governor’s Office said that Shapiro will welcome several special guests during the event.
These guests included:
- Katherine Christiano, a preschool teacher at Central Nursery School in Wayne, Pennsylvania and member of the PA Board of Education.
- Don Cunningham, CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation.
- Ernest “Tre” Hadrick, a certified education specialist II by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as an elementary and secondary school counselor K-12 and member of the PA Board of Education.
- Lieutenant Tommy Lenox from the Erie Police Department and coordinator of the Erie Police Athletic League (PAL), which works to improve student relationships with Erie police. The PAL coaches, mentors, and teaches over 600 students after school or during a week-long summer camp.
- Paige Lombard, a part-time Master of Social Work student at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Keith and Deborah “Deb” Marsh, a retired Episcopalian priest and nurse from Montgomery County who were scammed by cyber criminals through technical support fraud.
- Dr. Rachel Nagy, Elementary Principal in the California Area School District, who will highlight the impact of increased education funding to her district secured by the Governor and how it’s transformed their CTE programming.
- Hallie Sill, a former student teacher who was able to prepare for her career thanks to the student teacher stipend program, landing her first full-time job as an English teacher in Dauphin County.
- Lieutenant Jeremy Warmkessel, a Lehigh County resident and President of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 302.
- Christine Ziemer, a Berks County resident who lives in a 55+ Manufactured Home Community.
Shapiro’s office said all of these guests have stories that “reflect the experiences of Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth and serve as the basis for the historic investments and bold calls-to-action included in this budget.”
Also, the Governor’s Office said that Shapiro proposes “commonsense solutions that build on three years of progress, paving the way for a stronger, more prosperous Pennsylvania — all while maintaining fiscal responsibility,” during the Tuesday morning event.
