Pennsylvania Budget Includes Major Investments in Education; TBED Initiatives Pushed to Fall

As part of the budget deal agreed upon earlier this week between Gov. Ed Rendell and Pennsylvania lawmakers, two of the governor’s major TBED priorities - the Jonas Salk Legacy Fund and an alternative energy fund - will be voted on later this year. 

 

Under the budget agreement, lawmakers committed to a roll call vote in November to decide on the Jonas Salk Legacy Fund, which proposes borrowing $500 million from the state’s tobacco settlement proceeds to invest in scientific research (see the Feb. 19, 2007 issue of the Digest). The initiative will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis, yielding $1 billion in new bioscience investments, according to the governor’s press office.

 

Gov. Rendell will call a special legislative session beginning Sept. 17 to consider alternative energy and conservation legislation. Lawmakers agreed to consider a $60 million annual commitment with the option of a bond authorization of up to $750 million. The governor’s Energy Independence Strategy calls for the creation of a fund to help bring energy products and technologies to the market.

 

The fiscal year 2007-08 budget for the state's Department of Education includes increased funding for Pennsylvania public high schools to prepare students for careers in high-skill areas. The budget includes $90 million – a $70 million increase over last year – for the Classrooms for the Future initiative, which provides laptops to high school students in more than 350 public schools. Other investments in education include:

• $13.5 million (35 percent increase) for the Science: It’s Elementary program to assist students in becoming active in the field of science;
• $11 million (38 percent increase) for Project 720 to help 30 additional high schools increase the rigor of their academic programs to prepare students for college and high-skill careers;
• $10 million for dual enrollment funding to help high school students earn college credit; and,
• $2 million to launch new technical college programs to provide an opportunity for high school graduates to earn workforce credentials and associate degrees in high-demand career fields.

The enacted budget includes $51.7 million for the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority Fund within the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). DCED will receive $45 million for the Opportunity Grant Program to create and retain agricultural, manufacturing and R&D jobs, $22.5 million for customized job training, and $2 million for Keystone Innovation Zones. Gov. Rendell signed the FY 2007-08 budget into law on Tuesday.

 

HB 1286 is available at: http://www.budget.state.pa.us/budget/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=167632