North Central PA Times

Rep. Michael Stender, representing Montour and Northumberland, attended the presentation of the 2025-26 fiscal year budget proposal by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro during a joint session of the General Assembly. Following the presentation, Stender expressed his views in a formal statement.

Stender acknowledged the commencement of Pennsylvania's budget process, stating, “The governor’s address marks the beginning of Pennsylvania’s annual budget process, and I look forward to working alongside my colleagues in the House to develop a responsible spending plan that propels our state forward without burdening taxpayers.”

However, Stender expressed concerns regarding the proposed budget, highlighting a significant disparity between proposed spending and projected revenue growth. “That said, I do have serious concerns about the governor’s proposal. His plan calls for a 7.5% increase in spending, while revenue collections are only projected to grow by 2.5%." He elaborated that the proposed $51.47 billion budget could potentially lead to the depletion of the current budget surplus of $2.89 billion, and may also draw from the Rainy Day Fund. Stender added, “The Commonwealth simply cannot sustain this level of aggressive spending. I am hopeful we will see a more thorough analysis in the months ahead, which will allow us to make more informed and responsible decisions.”

The budget proposal marks the beginning of the budget process, with the House Appropriations Committee scheduled to start hearings to evaluate the specifics of the governor's plan on February 18. Both the General Assembly and the governor must work towards finalizing the budget by June 30.

Rep. Michael Stender serves the 108th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.