Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are in the final stages of negotiating the state budget, a process that decides how the government spends billions of taxpayer dollars in the coming fiscal year and beyond.
During his March budget address, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who must ultimately sign the budget into law, proposed a $44.4 billion spending plan that calls for increases in education spending, changes to how State Police are funded, and the state’s first investment into public defenders.
Legislators in both major parties have embraced the plan as a fine starting point while still pursuing their own priorities.
But what goes into finalizing such a massive budget? Who has the final say and how can residents make their voices heard? To answer these questions and more, Spotlight PA’s capitol reporter, Stephen Caruso, is here to provide everything you need to know about the 2023 budget talks.
Join Spotlight PA Thursday, June 22 at 6 pm ET on Zoom for a free panel on the budget process, what issues are on the table, and how you can get involved.
This event is part of our “How Harrisburg Works” series, a mix of stories and events where we break down how Harrisburg’s legislature works (or doesn’t). Read and watch past editions here.
Our panelists will include:
Stephen Caruso, capitol reporter, Spotlight PA
Mustafa Rashed, president and CEO, Bellevue Strategies
RSVP for free here. Submit your questions in advance to events@spotlightpa.org.
» Spotlight PA’s events operate on a “pay-what-you-can” honor system. If you value this public-service event, pay it forward and contribute any amount to Spotlight PA now so we can keep our programming free for everyone: spotlightpa.org/donate.