Governor Ed Rendell held a press conference this morning to announce that 9,200 Pennsylvanians between the ages of 14 and 24 are participating in the Summer Youth Program. The program gives at-risk youth, dropouts, teen parents and other youth with barriers an opportunity to gain valuable workforce training and experience. ”Because of the funding from the Recovery Act, this year we have more than four times the 2,205 youth who were able to participate last year,” Governor Rendell said.  The governor then fielded budget questions from the media. He affirmed that “an artificial spend number” will not drive the negotiations and indicated that he would “consider” dropping his education spending proposal down $300 million but “nothing below that.”  Check the PLS Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story.