Gov. Josh Shapiro gave his state budget address earlier this week in Harrisburg. His budget was chock full of expensive leftist priorities, many of which will put Pennsylvania on less steady financial footing.

But there was one bright spot in the address.

When Shapiro spoke about the need for the divided legislature to work together, he explicitly mentioned and endorsed “scholarships that let poor families in struggling school districts put their kids in the best position for them to succeed—whether that’s paying for extra tutoring, books and computers, or yes, going to another school.”

He went further: “The Senate passed a proposal last year that included important elements of that, and it’s something I support and consider to be unfinished business.”

Once again, Shapiro says the right thing about an important student-first policy to rescue kids from failing schools. But if he truly wants to enact Lifeline Scholarships—the exact kind of scholarships he referenced—then he needs to urge his own side into action.

Right now, House Democrats refuse to begin session, citing a leaking roof. This inaction is not only unfair but also a betrayal of all Pennsylvanians. This is exactly the issue Commonwealth Foundation Executive Vice President Jennifer Stefano tackles in her latest Philadelphia Inquirer column, “Do-nothing Dems in the Pa. House hold bipartisan reforms hostage.”

As Jennifer writes, “This makes the refusal by Democrats in the state’s House of Representatives to resume their legislative work until March a shameful dereliction of duty that adds another layer of burden to suffering people waiting on them to act.”

Shapiro ran on a platform of bringing both sides together to pass popular policies, such as cutting the corporate tax rate, expanding telehealth, and enacting the Lifeline Scholarship Program, also known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS). But House Democrats have made no effort to pass similar policies that could help children and our businesses.

Shapiro gave a long, ambitious budget address, laying out big reforms that require the Democrat-controlled House to get to work. The problem is that House Democrats won’t move without Shapiro using his influence to prod them into action.

Shapiro may have big plans for the budget this year. But if he doesn’t want to get caught in the same trap he did last year (with a delayed budget and little agreement between both chambers), Shapiro must push his party to come to the bargaining table and pass policies that help Pennsylvania students and businesses.

We're not about to let Shapiro forget about the promises he made during his campaign, nor will we back off the pressure on House Democrats to get to work. Pennsylvanians, like you, deserve better.

- Commonwealth Foundation

P.S. If you want to receive Jennifer Stefano's bi-weekly Philadelphia Inquirer column in your inbox, please sign up for alerts here.