Harrisburg, Pa. − October 8, 2025 − One hundred days after Pennsylvania’s budget deadline, Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery, Democratic Caucus Chair) released a statement condemning Senate Republican inaction and explaining why she voted against Senate Bill 1040:
“Let’s be honest: this budget crisis is not happening by accident. The Pennsylvanians I talk to don’t want promises or platitudes—they want the lights to stay on, they want their local services to be available, and they want the dignity of knowing that their tax dollars are being put to work for them.
“I voted no on SB 1040 today because we need a budget, not a loan. This proposal was a misguided political maneuver that fails to address the real needs of Pennsylvanians and undermines responsible fiscal governance. The bill also excludes key entities like school districts, mass transit agencies and more from eligibility, leaving out many of the organizations most in need of support.
“The best and most realistic way to help Pennsylvanians is to pass a responsible budget now. I am committed to working with my colleagues to do just that, and I urge Senate Republicans to stop playing politics with the wellbeing of our communities.”
Senator Collett is focused on real solutions to help Pennsylvanians impacted by Republicans’ deliberate budget delay. She is co-prime-sponsoring legislation, led by Senator Lindsey Williams, that would use interest earned by the Commonwealth and the Rainy Day Fund to reimburse any interest accrued by entities forced to take out loans during the budget impasse.
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