In early February, Governor Josh Shapiro unveiled his second budget proposal, “prioritizing economic opportunity and access to higher education, making historic investments in public education, supporting law enforcement and public safety, ensuring people receive the care they need, and funding critical initiatives to help Pennsylvanians from our cities to our farmlands.”

Our focus continues to be the impact of the state’s investment on architects’ practice and business environment, the construction industry, and Pennsylvania’s built environment, particularly school facilities, and community revitalization.

Proposed investments and commitments that AIA Pennsylvania will be tracking and continuing to advocate for as budget hearings and negotiations on funding and legislation ensue include through the start of the fiscal year in July and likely beyond:

• K-12 School Infrastructure
  • $300M for the School Environmental Repairs Program
• Housing, Community and Business Development
  • $50M for the Whole Home Repair Program

The 2023-2024 state budget was finalized in December with the passage of two major budget implementation bills. Throughout 2023 we advocated for school facility investment through PlanCon 2.0, a recommendation also issued by the Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) in early 2024. Ultimately two new programs for Pennsylvania’s schools’ environmental repairs were funded, a step in the right direction:

• $75 million to the School Environmental Repairs Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education
• $100 million to the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program, administered by the Commonwealth Financing Authority