Harrisburg, Pa., September 3, 2025 — Fewer than 4-in-10 Pennsylvania voters believe the state is on the right track, according to new polling released today by the Commonwealth Foundation. Inflation, the economy, taxes, and crime top their list of concerns facing the state, with nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvanians saying economic conditions are worsening for them personally.
Now entering the third month of Pennsylvania’s budget impasse, a strong plurality of voters places ultimate responsibility for finalizing a deal on Gov. Josh Shapiro.
The new poll illustrates voters’ concerns about Pennsylvania’s economic conditions, the state budget stalemate, access to educational choice, and rising energy costs.
Key Findings
Direction of the State & Political Climate
- Only 38 percent say Pennsylvania is on the right track.
- Top voter concerns: cost of living (48 percent), economy (28 percent), taxes (21 percent), and crime (21 percent). *These figures represent the combined share of voters who ranked each issue as their first, second, or third most important problem facing the state.
- Nearly four in ten voters (38 percent) have considered leaving Pennsylvania or know someone who has, citing the cost of living, taxes, and job opportunities. Locations considered “red states” top the list of where Pennsylvanians are interested in relocating, including Florida (24 percent), North Carolina (13 percent), and Texas (12 percent).
State Budget Impasse
- Shapiro is Responsible: By a double-digit margin, a strong plurality (36 percent) believes Shapiro is ultimately responsible for finalizing the state budget.
- Shapiro’s Budget Proposal: 64 percent oppose Shapiro’s proposed spending increases, while 65 percent oppose raiding the state’s emergency Rainy Day Fund to cover them.
- Public School Spending: 58 percent of voters estimate per-student spending to be less than half the actual cost, with the median guess a mere $10,000 per student. When informed, nearly 4-in-10 (37 percent) believe the current $23,000 per-pupil spending rate is too high.
- District Reserves: 81 percent say school districts should be required to use excess reserve funds before raising taxes. According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, public school districts in Pennsylvania have more than $7.4 billion in reserve funds.
Support for “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Provisions
- 73 percent support welfare work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents.
- 72 percent support the Education Choice for Children Act (federal school choice).
- 63 percent support renewal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Shapiro’s Performance
- Half of registered voters are unsure or do not believe that Shapiro has delivered major accomplishments during his term; among those who say he has, few can name anything specific.
- 72 percent want Shapiro to focus more on working with the legislature to accomplish bipartisan policy reforms.
- 70 percent say Shapiro’s expansion of the governor’s communications, press, digital, and influencer outreach staff is an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars.
K–12 Education
- More than six in ten (61 percent) give Pennsylvania’s K–12 system a grade of C, D, or F, expressing concerns that students are not learning life skills and are not being taught the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
- 71 percent would choose an alternative to their local district school if cost were not a factor.
- 46 percent oppose a 50 percent cut to cyber charter schools, as proposed in House Bill 1500, a key budget priority for Shapiro and House Democrats.
- Strong majorities support a range of school choice policies, including:
- 71 percent support refundable tax credit scholarships for education expenses.
- 72 percent support Education Opportunity Accounts.
- 67 percent support Lifeline Scholarships for students in failing schools.
- 79 percent support expanding the existing Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs.
Economy and Jobs
- Only 30 percent rate Pennsylvania’s economy as excellent or good.
- 64 percent say conditions are getting worse for them personally.
- 54 percent believe it is a bad time to find a job in Pennsylvania.
- Just 17 percent say the state is better for business than it was a decade ago.
Energy and Utility Costs
- 73 percent report higher electricity bills in the past year.
- 74 percent oppose Shapiro’s proposed climate initiatives—specifically, the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) and the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS)—that would raise electricity prices.
- 72 percent oppose Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
Commonwealth Foundation Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Erik Telford issued the following statement in response:
“Voters see Pennsylvania headed in the wrong direction. They want lower costs, a stronger economy, and educational options—not reckless spending, political gridlock, and higher electric bills.
“Governor Shapiro has a choice: continue down a path of tax hikes, partisanship, and reckless spending, or finally work with the legislature to deliver the responsible reforms that taxpayers, families, and students are demanding.
“Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly oppose Shapiro’s push for higher spending, his raid on the Rainy Day Fund, and his energy policies that will drive up household energy costs. What they are demanding is simple: a responsible, bipartisan budget that protects taxpayers, expands educational opportunity, and makes our economy more competitive.”
The poll surveyed 800 registered Pennsylvania voters from August 22 to August 28, 2025.
Read the complete poll findings and crosstabs here. The full analysis deck is available here.
For media inquiries, please contact Giana DePaul at gmd@commonwealthfoundation.org or (215) 859-0384.
