Harrisburg, Pa. – July 8, 2022 – Today, State Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) announced that the General Assembly approved the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s budget for fiscal year 2022-2023.
The budget includes the following funding priorities of Senator Haywood:
- $525 million for public education, which is a historic investment.
- $375 million for additional affordable housing.
- $105 million for gun violence prevention efforts.
- $100 million for mental health support and trauma-informed care.
- $25 million for childcare to help families get out of poverty.
“I am pleased that we will use our state budget to increase opportunities for our neighbors,” Haywood said. “We successfully advocated for gains in affordable housing, gun violence prevention, and mental health.”
“The funding for childcare is a direct result of our poverty tour actions,” Haywood said. In 2019, Senator Haywood conducted a five-stop Poverty Listening Tour and presented a comprehensive report of recommendations to Governor Wolf, elected officials, and state agencies to reduce poverty throughout the Commonwealth. In the 2021 report, he provided updates on 18 recommendations to help leaders create policies that support Pennsylvanians in overcoming poverty.
Some elements in the budget did not mirror the senator’s priorities. “I am disappointed that legislators failed to raise the minimum wage and gave tax breaks to companies with nothing in return for Pennsylvanians,” Haywood added.
The senator evaluated this year’s budget based on his 2022 theme to Love One Another. “This budget shows love for neighbors and also disregards our neighbors,” Haywood said. “I will continue to advocate for legislation that directly serves our communities and reflects our love for one another.”
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