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October 5, 2009, 7:28 pm
By Alex Roarty
Legislative leaders and Governor Ed Rendell could be close to striking another budget agreement after the majority parties in each chamber revealed Monday that they support what appear to be nearly identical budget proposals. But they continue to remain divided about the best and fastest way to implement a possible deal, whether through a new bill in the Senate or the legislative Conference Committee.
The Senate Republican proposal, the details of which were sent to reporters Monday evening, includes a spend level of $27.835 billion. It delays phase-out of the Capitol Stock and Franchise, leases additional state land for natural gas drilling, redirects 25 cents of the cigarette tax to the General Fund, and allows table games in casinos, among other smaller proposals.
Continue reading Budget Agreement Near, But Sides Question How to Proceed
October 5, 2009, 2:35 pm
Senate Republican leaders told reporters Monday afternoon that they have crafted a new budget proposal but want to advance it with new legislation in the Senate, not via the legislative Conference Committee.
The leadership team spoke to reporters a half-hour before the Conference Committee was set to reconvene and possibly approve a spending bill. The two Senate Republican members part of the committee, Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman (R-Centre) and Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware), said earlier in the day they would not attend the meeting, which has since been postponed to 4 p.m.
Continue reading Senate Republicans Go It Alone
October 2, 2009, 12:50 pm
The committee met to consider one bill. HB 961 was unanimously reported as committed.
September 14, 2009, 2:59 pm
Rendell Expects His Budget Veto Will Be Overriden by Alex Roarty
Governor Ed Rendell said Monday he will sign the legislative “three-caucus†$27.945 billion budget deal only if lawmakers increase its spending and include additional revenue streams – two changes legislators have made clear they won’t accept.
The governor’s declaration likely means he will be forced to veto the bill, and on that front the state’s chief executive offered a surprising prediction, at least coming from him: He expects the legislature will override his veto, and he’s not even sure he’ll work to stop it.
“I expect my veto will be overridden,†Governor Rendell told reporters at an afternoon press conference. “I will try to move fast when I veto it so that they can override it the next day and we can get money flowing to non-profits and others that are feeling the pinch.â€
He clarified later that he not only expects lawmakers to try and override, he also thinks they will be successful.
Veto overrides require a two-thirds margin in each chamber — 33 votes in the Senate, and 136 in the House.
Despite his objections to the budget, Governor Rendell said he has “mixed feelings†about
Continue reading Rendell Expects his Budget Veto will be Overriden
September 14, 2009, 9:25 am
After Late-Night Talks, Lawmakers Think Gov Might Get on Board Budget Deal
by Alex Roarty
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House Democratic and Senate Republican leaders spent nearly two hours Sunday night trying to persuade Governor Ed Rendell to accept to the “three-caucus” budget agreement engineered late last week without his approval, and they told reporters afterward they are hopeful the governor could come on board before the bill reaches his desk.
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But Democrats and Republicans reiterated they remain committed to the inter-party budget deal, its $27.945 billion spending number, and revenue-raising options despite the governor’s objections.
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“I’m hopeful that we can get the governor on board,” said Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Minority Appropriations Chairman. “I think this evening signals that we have an opportunity to do that.”
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Republican and Democratic legislators said they are willing to compromise on how to allocate some spending in their budget. The governor had previously taken issue with certain reductions in the education spending and said he wanted to make about $55 million more in cuts.
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But Speaker of the House Keith McCall (D-Carbon), continually peppered with questions by reporters, said any compromise wouldn’t include changing the budget’s total spend number or the way
Continue reading After Late-Night Talks, Lawmakers Think Gov Might Get on Board Budget Deal
July 31, 2009, 6:55 pm
by Alex Roarty
House Majority Leader Todd Eachus (D-Luzerne) told reporters Friday evening that he has asked his caucus to return to the Capitol early Monday morning to discuss sending Senate Bill 850 to the governor’s desk so the chief executive can blue-line all line-items save basic government operations.
The move would allow the state to pay nearly 80,000 of its employees, who Friday experienced a payless payday because of the budget impasse
Continue reading…
July 31, 2009, 6:54 pm
by Alex Roarty
Legislative leaders called a Friday afternoon closed-door meeting at the Governor’s Mansion a positive step toward a budget agreement but were either unwilling or unable to cite specific examples of progress, a sign negotiations still face major hurdles before a deal is reached.
The lawmakers did reveal one agreement: They will meet Sunday at 10 a.m., again at the Governor’s Residence, to continue private negotiations after Friday’s roughly 75-minute session.
Continue reading…
July 30, 2009, 9:46 am
Senate Republicans and the governor’s office haven’t agreed on much lately.
On Thursday, their most recent dispute centered on whether somebody from the Department of Revenue and Budget Secretary’s office were scheduled to testify in front of the legislative conference committee.
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July 29, 2009, 5:40 pm
by Alex Roarty
Governor Ed Rendell said Wednesday that, pending continued stalled negotiations, Monday morning he will ask House leadership to send him Senate Bill 850 to create a “bridge†budget, a move that would allow the state to pay its 77,000 state workers.
The budget is meant to be a temporary one that would allow basic government functions, such as restaurant inspections and employee paydays, to continue while legislative leaders try to reach an agreement, the governor said. He will line-item veto everything else included in SB 850, including money for education and economic development.
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July 29, 2009, 5:39 pm
by Alex Roarty
Legislative leaders at Wednesday’s conference committee, who spent the discussion’s first hour debating the time and place of the next day’s meeting, need to “grow up,†Governor Ed Rendell said during his afternoon press conference.
Governor Rendell spoke roughly an hour and a half after the committee meeting had started, and began publicly lambasting the six legislative leaders involved minutes into the press conference.
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