Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro may have fixed one bridge, but he’s burning others. While the governor brags about rebuilding the I-95 bridge in 12 days, Shapiro is learning that mending legislators’ and voters’ mistrust of him will be far more complicated.< Shapiro’s eagerness to take credit for fixing I-95 comes when he seeks to escape damning headlines: “Shapiro Tries to Salvage Relationships—and His Budget,” “Mr. Success Finally Confronts Failure,” and “Pennsylvania's Democrat Governor Caves on School Choice Program He Staunchly Backed to Appease His Own Party.”
The truth about Shapiro’s leadership: He bungled his first state budget. He broke his agreement on a bipartisan deal and line-item vetoed Lifeline Scholarships, dubbed the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) in the 2023–24 budget.
Though he wants us to believe the budget impasse is over, Shapiro’s work isn’t over. More than $1 billion of initiatives, including many programs Shapiro promised, is in limbo. Also, Shapiro must sign the code bills that direct how to implement appropriations. However, House Democrats likely won’t provide him anything to sign until late September because they want to wait for a special election to restore their one-seat majority.
Shapiro’s national ambitions have been no secret, and budget negotiations were a golden opportunity to showcase his ability to navigate choppy political waters. However, Shapiro’s budget blunder casts serious doubt about his national potential. One influential columnist from the state’s second-largest paper questioned if “his talents really can match his ambition.”
Building trust is fundamental to strong leadership. Shapiro damaged his credibility with fellow lawmakers.
“We are shaking our heads trying to determine the best way to move forward with a governor who has lost our trust,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. Despite this betrayal, Ward reconvened the Senate to finish negotiations.
The Republican-led state Senate lobbed Shapiro a political softball by making Lifeline Scholarships/PASS—Shapiro’s campaign pledge—their top budgetary demand. The $100 million program would provide scholarships to many of the 250,000 students trapped in the state’s worst-performing public schools and help them seek better options.
Meanwhile, Shapiro might be on the outs with his own party, too. House Majority Leader Matt Bradford ridiculed the governor’s Fox News appearance when Shapiro said “every child of God” deserved a quality education. “It’s become the cool thing to say,” Bradford mocked during a recent rally. If Shapiro cannot lead within his party, how can he be trusted to lead a state or a nation?
Shapiro didn’t just miss his opportunity to deliver; instead, he fled from it.
At a July 6th press conference, he said, “It's now the responsibility of the House and Senate” to negotiate a budget, skirting his responsibility as governor.
Shapiro’s rhetoric as a bridge builder hasn’t translated into effective action. He and North Carolina’s Gov. Roy Cooper are the only two governors who have failed to secure budgets for their states.
Shapiro frequently complains about being the only governor with a full-time legislature split between two parties, but he fails to acknowledge that Lifeline Scholarships enjoys bipartisan support in the polls. About 73 percent of Pennsylvania voters agreed that Shapiro must honor his promise on Lifeline Scholarships/PASS. Eighty-one percent of Democrats agreed, meaning Shapiro and House Democrats are ignoring their own party.
Pennsylvania's residents and public services cannot afford to be hostages to political maneuvering while crucial funding remains in limbo. This unfinished budget includes a historic increase in public school funding, universal preschool, child welfare programs, community-based mental health services, and public assistance for the disabled and elderly—and House Democrats are standing in the way of Pennsylvanians receiving these critical programs.
Shapiro’s lack of commitment to his word has left Pennsylvanians questioning whether he can rebuild trust with the divided legislature. Governing a state as diverse and complex as Pennsylvania requires a leader who can unite people, navigate ideological differences, and put the commonwealth ahead of personal ambitions. So far, Shapiro has fallen short.
If Shapiro wants to create a legacy as a bridge builder, he needs to push House Democrats to finalize the budget. Moreover, he must fulfill his promise on Lifeline Scholarships/PASS and demonstrate a clear commitment to improving educational opportunities for all Pennsylvanians, especially the most vulnerable.
Erik Telford is the Senior Vice President of Public Relations at the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank.