Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is taking aim at student debt and aging public school buildings while continuing a charge to boost public schools and early-childhood education in a budget proposal rolled out Feb. 4.

The Democrat's plans face a skeptical Republican-controlled Legislature.

The plan would create a major new program for college scholarships in Pennsylvania's state-owned universities, require public schools to provide full-day kindergarten, and pump $1 billion into cleaning up lead, asbestos and other environmental hazards in public school buildings.

Meanwhile, the state's finances remain under considerable pressure to keep up with the cost to care for the poor, elderly and disabled.

To do it all, Wolf's administration is projecting stronger growth in tax collections, overhauling how charter schools are funded, raising borrowing limits and diverting casino gambling tax revenue that subsidizes the horse-racing industry.

In his budget speech to a joint session of the Legislature in the House chamber, Wolf called his plan a "blueprint for unleashing a new wave of prosperity for our commonwealth" and predicted that it will make a difference in the lives of millions of people.

Wolf also urged action to curb student debt and gun violence, making child care more affordable and raising the minimum wage.

The budget, Wolf's sixth, would increase spending through the state's main bank account to $36 billion for the 2020-21 fiscal year starting July 1. Including nearly $600 million in supplemental cash for the current fiscal year, Wolf is seeking authorization for another $2.6 billion in new spending, or 7.6% more.

Most of the increase in spending would go to rising costs for health care for the poor and long-term care for the elderly and disabled. Public schools and pre-kindergarten programs would get about another $170 million, or 2% more, plus $280 million in savings from changing how charter schools are funded.

Meanwhile, the administration wants to require that public schools start providing free, full-time kindergarten. About 72 of 500 districts do not provide it, administration officials say.