Pennsylvania lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are entering into the budget season with the aim of making college more affordable, writes Stephen Caurso for Spotlight PA.

The GOP, which currently holds a state Senate majority, wants to implement new scholarships targeted at “in-demand” occupations as well as offering money for post-grads to continue living in Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a major overhaul of Pennsylvania’s ten state-run and 15 community colleges that would combine these two systems, boost their funding, and eventually limit tuition to $1,000 per semester for many families.

While it is uncertain what will end up being included in the budget due June 30, state Rep. Peter Schweyer, chair of the state House’s Education Committee, said that overall, lawmakers agree that college in Pennsylvania should be more affordable.

“Budget season is always funny,” said Schweyer, a Democrat. “I’m not going to make any predictions, but I don’t hate [state Senate Republicans’] ideas and there’s a lot of space we can work together.”

Read more about the two proposals for making college more affordable in Spotlight PA.

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