As noted in several press reports, the 2026-2027 Pennsylvania budget is noteworthy as much for what it omitted as for what it accomplished. To be sure, the budget included significant successes including:

• Increase in funding for public schools
• Cost of living adjustments for retired teachers and emergency responders
• More money for childcare, mental health and college scholarships

However, there were also notable failures to take action on critical issues such as:

• Raising the minimum wage 
• Funding for mass transit
• Providing new revenue such as taxes on digital ads and skills games

The treatment of data centers epitomizes the problems with the budget. Data centers operators must now report on their energy and water consumption, but no action was taken to rescind their sales tax breaks or impose stricter regulations on them.

The legislative compromises that produced the current budget highlight the importance of the November election. To achieve a budget that makes progress on the goals we care about, we need to secure the Democratic majority in the PA House, flip the PA Senate blue and re-elect Josh Shapiro and Austin Davis. Continued stalemate in Harrisburg does not serve the needs of Pennsylvania’s citizens and does not adequately protect them from the depredations of the remaining years of the Trump administration.

Westtown, Thornbury and Birmingham voters can help achieve the necessary changes for Pennsylvania by electing Elizabeth Moro as our state representative for the 160th PA House district.