PHILADELPHIA, PA – July 16, 2027 − Senator Art Haywood (D-4) today highlighted key investments secured in the 2026–27 Pennsylvania state budget that will deliver meaningful resources to communities across the Commonwealth and the 4th District.
Budget Wins
- Cost-of-Living Adjustment for Retirees: A long-overdue increase for more than 54,000 retired teachers, police officers, and firefighters who retired prior to Act 9 (July 2, 2001), ensuring those who served our communities can live with dignity.
- Historic Education Investment: $565 million for school adequacy and equity funding, including major increases for local districts: Abington (+$582K), Cheltenham (+$1.17M), Jenkintown (+$77K), Springfield (+$40K), and Philadelphia (+$157.3M).
- Higher Education & Workforce Development: $419 million for the PHEAA State Grant Program and $42.5 million for Grow PA Scholarships to expand access to higher education and retain Pennsylvania talent.
- Support for Seniors: $81 million in additional funding for nursing homes to strengthen care for seniors and support staff.
- Mental Health & Public Safety: $979 million for mental health services (+$41M), $24.1 million for rape crisis centers (+$12M), and $62.15 million for Violence Intervention and Prevention Programs.
- Economic Growth & Housing: Innovate in PA 2.0, generating up to $125 million in life sciences investment, and funding for a Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency public housing database to improve housing access statewide.
“These investments reflect our commitment to building stronger, safer, and more equitable communities,” said Senator Haywood. “From our schools to our seniors, this budget delivers real results and prioritizes the issues that matter most—education, public safety, economic opportunity, and quality of life.”
More Work Ahead
Senator Haywood emphasized that while progress was made, critical priorities remain:
- Raising Pennsylvania’s $7.25 minimum wage so working families can make ends meet
- Closing the Delaware Loophole to ensure corporations pay their fair share
- Regulating and taxing skill games to generate revenue and ensure oversight
- Legalizing adult-use cannabis to create jobs and advance equity
“Passing a budget in this environment is never easy—but protecting the progress we’ve made matters,” Haywood added. “We will keep pushing for more, but we will not go backwards. Holding the line is how we keep moving forward.”