Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives passed a $34 billion 2019-20 budget June 25 that includes no tax increase, but also no minimum wage raise, writes Jan Murphy for pennlive.com.

The budget has more school money, new agricultural investments and a healthy deposit in the state’s Rainy Day Fund. The Senate is expected to vote on it today before it is sent to Gov. Tom Wolf. Wolf has signaled he will sign the budget bill.

The budget increases spending by nearly 4 percent , placing $300 million into the Rainy Day Fund to help avoid future tax increases and improve the state’s bond rating.

House Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Bradford, (D-Montgomery County), supports the budget but is conflicted because it fails to address an increase in the state’s $7.25 minimum wage. It also cuts state funding for general assistance that provides about $200 a month to the state’s poorest residents.

It also fails to impose a per-capita tax on municipalities that rely on the state police for police protection.

Republican members hailed the budget for increasing education funding and holding down spending.

Some Democrats said they would support this budget but promised to fight in the fall for what was left out.

Read the budget details here.

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