Every year, by June 30, the Pennsylvania Legislature and governor must approve a budget that decides how the state spends its money—on schools, transportation, health care, community programs, and more. When they don’t reach an agreement, that funding doesn’t arrive on time. Schools go without the resources they need, transit systems like SEPTA face deep cuts, and programs supporting seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and immigrant families can’t operate.
Right now, political games in Harrisburg—especially Senate Republicans refusing to show up to do their jobs—are holding our communities hostage. Every day, more Pennsylvanians feel the effects: transit delays, disrupted education, and essential community services at risk.
These cuts hit our children first. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, 63% of city schools saw an increase in late arrivals, and 54% had more student absences in just the first three days of the 2025–26 school year. Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has stressed that a functioning SEPTA system is critical to the district’s academic goals. While temporary fixes exist, without proper transit funding, the long-term impact on our kids will be severe.
The PA House has sent five bipartisan bills to the state Senate to fund SEPTA, along with our proposed state budget. But the Senate has stayed on summer vacation instead of doing this crucial work. If even one transit-related bill passed, we could keep mass transit moving—getting workers to their jobs, kids to school, and seniors to their doctors.
The budget isn’t just about transit—it funds education, health care, public safety, social services, and more. Senate Republicans have rejected all proposed measures to keep these programs afloat, putting children, seniors, and everyday Pennsylvanians at risk.
House Democrats are working every day to keep Philadelphia and Pennsylvania thriving. After all the effort we’ve put into a fair state budget, it’s devastating to see these cuts hitting our communities. We even submitted a second budget that was $1 billion less than the governor’s proposal, aiming for compromise—but the Senate has refused to act.
When I became a state representative, I made a commitment to fight for our people—and that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m fighting for our workers, our children, our elders, and everyone who relies on essential state services to live without worry. I am showing up for you every day. It’s time for Senate Republicans to do the same: control the agenda, come to work, and show up for the people of Pennsylvania. The time to act is now.
State Rep. Jose Giral is a Democrat representing the 180th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which includes parts of Philadelphia, and serves as vice chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus.