For the first time in nine years, the Commonwealth has a budget signed by the Governor before July 1, as required by the state constitution. That is the good news. Schools will receive nearly $900 million fewer subsidy dollars than in the previous year. With passage of SB 330, now Act 25, school districts will find it increasingly difficult to exceed the Act 1 index. Only three exceptions to using the referendum will now be available: pre-exiting construction, special education and employee pensions. That is the bad news. Proposed legislation that did not pass on vouchers and economic furloughs is expected to be on the Governor’s and legislators’ agenda in the fall.