Kruger issues statement on state budget
Rep. Leanne Krueger July 6, 2023 | 4:14 PM
HARRISBURG, July 6 – State Rep. Leanne Krueger, D-Delaware, issued the following statement regarding her vote to support the 2023-24 state budget, which is headed to the desk of Gov. Josh Shapiro.
“I made the decision to vote yes on this year’s budget after Governor Shapiro made a public pledge to veto the line item for vouchers that had broad opposition in Delaware County. I voted yes for a $1 billion investment in K-12 public schools, including the largest increase in the Basic Education Funding Formula in Pennsylvania history,” Krueger said. “The recent decision from the Commonwealth Court showed that we need to do a lot more to equitably fund our public schools.”
Krueger said state funding increases for the school districts she represents are as follows:
- Chester Upland School District - $11.4 million (11.1% increase).
- Penn-Delco School District- $751,003 (7.8% increase).
- Ridley School District- $2.16 million (11.9 % increase).
- Rose Tree School District- $542,572 (9.6% increase).
- Wallingford-Swarthmore- $494,301 (7.6% increase).
“I also voted yes to help our seniors,” Krueger said. “Pennsylvania's Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program has been expanded by $136 million, increasing the maximum rebate from $650 to $1,000 and the income eligibility cap to $45,000. Close to 175,000 more Pennsylvanians will qualify for this program, and many of the 400,000 seniors who already qualify will see their rebates nearly double.
“No state budget is perfect, especially when negotiating between a divided state legislature like Pennsylvania’s,” she said. “I believe this budget represents the best deal we could get at this point in time.”