WEST CHESTER, PA (July 13, 2026) – State Senator Carolyn Comitta issued the following statement on the passage of the 2026-2027 Pennsylvania state budget:
“On Sunday, I voted YES on this year’s Pennsylvania State Budget.
Overall, this budget is a product of a divided legislature, but there are many victories that increase support for our children’s education, our local workforce, Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry, and our community social services, all while not raising taxes or dipping into the rainy-day fund.
This budget continues to make historic investments in public education, with schools in my Chester County district altogether getting an increase of $11 million and Lincoln University receiving a 5% increase in state support.
This budget also provides a long overdue and much deserved cost-of-living adjustment in benefits to our retired police and firefighters as well as teachers, many of whom haven’t seen a cost-of-living adjustment in nearly 25 years.
We also secured investments in our human services programs, including additional funding for nursing homes, our 9-8-8 Crisis Lifeline network, and a $12 million increase in support for our rape crisis centers.
Personally, I am proud to have seen some of my legislation get worked into the budget, including accepting out-of-state continuing education credits for PA-certified educators looking to move back to the Commonwealth, increasing the cap available to farmers for agricultural loans through the PIDA Small Business First Fund, and more funding support for the Hunger Free Campus program.
While there is much to celebrate within this budget, there are still some important issues that were left unaddressed.
Data center development remains a top concern across the commonwealth and while there was movement for increased reporting on energy and water use at these facilities, much more needs to be done to protect our communities. Please know that I continue to support Senator Muth’s bill implementing a three-year moratorium on hyperscale data center development and will continue to work to see this bill get to a vote in the Senate.
We also still need to address funding Pennsylvania’s public transit system, the legal status and revenue behind skill games, and increasing the state’s minimum wage.
This budget makes great strides for our communities, but our work continues to address the affordability crisis, make sure residents are bringing home more money in their pockets, create an environment for small businesses to thrive, and ensure that the services and programs we rely on can continue to operate efficiently and effectively.
No matter where you live, you deserve to go to work and earn a living wage, send your kids to a great school that provides a foundation for a lifetime of success, own a home in a safe and welcoming community, and retire with dignity. As your Senator, I will continue our work to help ensure this is a reality for Chester County residents and people across Pennsylvania.”
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