Josh Shapiro signs $50.8 billion budget deal but leaves key Democratic priorities behind

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Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) signed a $50.8 billion budget into law on Sunday, more than two weeks after Pennsylvania’s constitutional deadline, capping weeks of negotiations that forced the governor to shelve several Democratic policy priorities.

Shapiro, who is seeking reelection this year and is widely expected to mount a 2028 presidential bid, dropped proposals to legalize recreational marijuana, raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and establish a dedicated funding stream for Philadelphia’s struggling Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority to secure Republican support.

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