Events

Understanding the State Budget: How Decisions are Made in Harrisburg

Pennsylvania’s state budget impacts everything, from public education and transportation to tax credits and social services, and you have a say in how it’s spent.

Join us on Tuesday, March 3rd, at 6 p.m. for the second webinar in our series on the city and state budget process. We’ll explore Pennsylvania’s state budget as a tool for civic engagement, equipping residents with the knowledge and context needed to understand how budget decisions are made and how to engage in the process.

You’ll Learn:

  • The Basics: An overview of how the state budget comes together, from agency requests and the Governor’s Budget Address to appropriations hearings and the June 30 deadline.
  • How Budget Decisions Are Made: The roles of the governor, the General Assembly, Appropriations Committee leadership, and the courts in shaping funding priorities.
  • What’s in the Governor’s Budget: A big-picture look at the major funding priorities and policy proposals in the governor’s budget address.
  • Why the Budget Process Breaks Down: Why Pennsylvania’s budget is often delayed, including the impact of divided government, national politics, and court decisions.

The discussion will be led by Tanisha Bezue, Senior Program Director, and Andrew McGinley, Vice President of Policy at the Committee of Seventy, and will include time for a Q&A focused on the state budget process and ways to get involved.

Join this important conversation and take the first step toward understanding how Pennsylvania’s state budget works.

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