Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Madsen comes out in support of Shapiro’s 2025-2026 budget plan

Madsen comes out in support of Shapiro’s 2025-2026 budget plan

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    February 6, 2025 | 12:38 PM

HARRISBURG, Feb. 6 – State Rep. Dave Madsen, D-Dauphin, today released his statement in support of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025-2026 budget plan:

“Governor Shapiro’s 2025-2026 budget plan is a smart, people-focused plan to improve Pennsylvanians’ lives by making strategic investments in education, housing and our workforce.

“I wholeheartedly support Governor Shapiro’s increased investments in our public school system. Studies have shown that a strong public school system can lift up individuals and their communities, but historic inequality in our funding system left richer school districts better funded at the expense of poorer ones, creating a legacy of structural inequality in our schools and across our commonwealth. Though last year’s historic investments in education made headway in rectifying this imbalance, there’s still a lot of work to be done to roll back years of neglect. This budget would deliver a needed $75 million increase in basic education and a $40 million increase in special education.

“The governor’s plan to recruit and retain teachers lays the foundation for a great school system. I approve of his plan to provide stipends to student teachers and invest in professional development for current teachers to help them stay on the cutting edge of education.

“One issue plaguing Pennsylvania is a lack of affordable housing. People should not have to spend their entire paychecks on rent. I like the governor’s holistic approach to tackling this issue, beginning with delivering over $1 billion in property tax relief through the homestead and farmstead exclusion in this budget for the first time ever. This will cut property taxes for the average Pennsylvania homeowner by over $160 this year, representing a 71% increase in the average savings taxpayers receive. 

“The governor also wants to invest $10 million to help first-time homebuyers cover closing costs, which would enable the building of generational wealth in the commonwealth. He also proposes investing $50 million to create a new statewide housing repair fund to help homeowners struggling to make needed repairs to their aging homes. 

“We also need to make it easier for Pennsylvanians to rent by sealing eviction records for people who were not actually evicted. Right now in Pennsylvania, an eviction becomes a permanent mark on someone’s record, regardless of whether the case eventually gets ruled in the tenant’s favor. Eviction records prevent vulnerable Pennsylvanians from securing housing or employment. Sealing no-fault eviction records would help increase housing security and improve access to affordable housing and employment opportunities.

“As the cost of housing and necessities go up, so too should the minimum wage. Our current minimum wage of $7.25 hasn’t been raised since 2009, which leaves our state in the dust, unable to compete for workers with our neighbors – Maryland, Delaware, New York, and New Jersey – who are all over $15 an hour. The budget plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour would generate economic activity, reduce reliance on state agency support, increase the purchasing power of Pennsylvania residents, and add roughly $100 million annually in increased revenue to the commonwealth once fully implemented. Raising the wage is the smart thing to do, and it’s the right thing to do.

“I applaud Governor Shapiro for this innovative budget, which will enable Pennsylvania and its residents to flourish.”