WOZNIAK: BUDGET OVERDUE, BUT ADVANTAGEOUS HARRISBURG, July 16, 2007 - State Sen. John Wozniak (D-Johnstown) today commended his colleagues for their passage of the $27.2 billion budget for 2007-08. “No one in the legislature wanted to extend the budgetary process this long,” Wozniak said. “Although this budget is overdue, it is fiscally responsible, holds the line on taxes and makes many important investments.” The total spending for 2007-08 is $27.162 billion, a moderate growth of 3.2 percent over last year. Wozniak said that the budget includes a remarkable $720 million increase in education spending, which includes $75 million for the governor’s “Pre-K Counts” funding; $90 million to upgrade high school classrooms with laptop computers; and $75 million the state's Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. “Education has always been one of my top priorities, so the substantial increase in education spending is money well spent,” Wozniak said. “I was also able to add an addendum to the basic education formula that will specifically help Westmont School District.” Wozniak said that in Westmont School District, residents are paying a large percentage of real estate tax because there is little business in the district. The addendum added to the basic education formula is specific to Westmont and the money in it will grow annually as the education budget grows. “The budget process was longer than need be this year, but we got a lot accomplished,” Wozniak said. “The Commonwealth will unquestionably benefit with the transportation and education plans laid out in this bill.”