Pennyslvania Budget

Pennsylvania’s next budget could provide state-related universities — including the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Temple and Lincoln - with a 5% increase in state funding.

Experts agree there’s plenty of money to go around for the coming fiscal year, but how to spend it is proving contentious.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: Gov. Tom Wolf joins the Confluence after proposing his final budget as the state’s executive, and discusses his other priorities for his last 10 months in office; and we hear how long-term care facilities are making efforts to recruit and retain nursing aides.

On today’s episode of The Confluence: We learn about what Gov. Tom Wolf is prioritizing in his final budget in office; an obstetric anesthesiologist is leading a clinic to support pregnant people through trauma-informed care and ultimately help with health outcomes; and a look at how some health care professionals are turning to lucrative jobs in travel nursing to deal with the stress and burnout of their jobs throughout the pandemic.

On today’s program: A look at how K-12 schools might benefit from the $300 million increase allocated in the state budget; David Hickton of the new Pitt Disinformation Lab explains how disinformation is being spread online in an effort to divide the public; and Dawn Keezer with the Pittsburgh Film Office says film production is making a strong comeback this summer and fall.

The budget Pennsylvania lawmakers passed last week includes a $300 million increase for K-12 schools and, will give boosts of 10% or more to 35 school districts in every corner of the commonwealth.

A bill to require voter ID and make a host of other changes to Pennsylvania election law is on its way to the Democratic governor, who expects to veto it.

Republicans who control the Pennsylvania General Assembly are rolling out a $39.8 billion general fund budget plan that would put into savings about $5 billion in federal coronavirus relief money and boost K-12 education funding by $300 million.

Pennsylvania’s plans for its share of coronavirus relief and a potential boost in education funding are among the issues being negotiated as lawmakers and the governor entered the final week of their budget year.

Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are working to assemble a budget plan that would use billions in federal aid and surplus cash to help prop up existing programs, boost aid to public schools and inject cash into sectors hard-hit by the pandemic.