Pennsylvania’s 6-month old budget stalemate may be coming to an end.
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“In the budget that passed the Senate, pain was shared and progress was shared on investments in our businesses, communities and schools”, Yudichak said.
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Although local state legislators had hoped that Gov. Tom Wolf would accept parts of an 11-month so-called “stop gap” budget, the governor said Tuesday he would veto in its entirety any stop-gap budget bill.
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Along with the pension legislation, other major elements of the bipartisan budget deal remain in limbo.
Senate Republicans pulled support for the tax increase since pension legislation stalled in the House.
Meanwhile, a Wolf ally in the Legislature said ongoing talks were aimed at getting a bipartisan budget deal through the House and around opposition by most members of the huge House Republican majority. With support of an additional 24 Republicans as well as every Democrat, the alternative has already passed the Senate, according to the York Daily Record. House Democrats and some House Republicans prefer an increase in the personal income tax, 3.07 percent to 3.3 percent.
On Tuesday, Democrats and moderate Republicans narrowly sent the $30.8 billion spending bill over key procedural hurdles in the House.
“The fact is, right now, there is not an agreement with the Senate or the governor on a final spending plan”, said House GOP spokesman Steve Miskin.
On Monday, Wolf announced he would veto the House Republican stopgap budget if it reached his desk.
“We can’t send a budget bill to the governor without a tax code bill to pay for it”, Reed said.
Sens. David Argall, R-29, Tamaqua; Lisa Baker, R-20, Lehman Twp.; John Gordner, R-27, Berwick; Mario Scavello, R-44, Mount Pocono and Gene Yaw, R-23, Williamsport, voted for the bill.
As recently as Tuesday evening, it was reported that the House could be drawing close to a vote on a “framework” of a bill, according to Fox 43. House GOP leaders, however, put the pension legislation up for a vote, and then went back on their commitment to run the tax bill Saturday. Since the start of Pennsylvania’s fiscal year on July 1, its school districts have not received state aid and have borrowed at least $900 million to survive. “As a rank and file member, I can’t tell you how frustrated and disgusted I am with this process this has been the worst I’ve seen it in having this position”.
States are required by law to balance their budgets, making prolonged delays unusual.
Even if the agreed-to budget plan moves forward in the House today – and it still needs 102 votes to do so – both the House and the Senate still need to approve a tax package to support the bill that has yet to be introduced.
The legislation would create a mandatory 401(k)-style benefit for state government and public school employees hired in the future.
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That bill “would have kept current employees and retirees in the pension plan”.
