Budget Negotiations Begin With Surplus Funds and Tax Breaks in Focus

​As part of the June negotiations, Governor Tom Wolf is calling for direct payments to residents of Pennsylvania utilizing the surplus American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID relief federal funding.  In Gov. Wolf’s proposed PA Opportunity Program, $500 million in ARPA dollars would provide direct payments of up to $2,000 for Pennsylvania households with an income of $80,000 or less. The program aims to help families still recovering economically from the COVID-19 pandemic or support them with covering pandemic-related costs and managing the current, every day increasing cost of living.