Senate, House, Governor Begin Final Push For State Budget

June 4 will officially begin the final race to adopt a state budget before the July 1 deadline, and there is no doubt the Senate, House and Gov. Corbett are working to make sure it happens on time.  Whether the final budget stays at the $27.1 billion level the Governor proposed is another issue entirely.

Both Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) and House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) believe there is a need to restore some of the funding cuts made by the Governor.  This week Capitolwire.com reported Rep. Turzai as saying the $27.6 billion budget passed by the Senate by a bipartisan vote is an “acceptable” number.

On several issues Senate and House leaders seem to agree--

-- The Senate restored $19 million for the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund from the $38 million cut proposed by Gov. Corbett.  The House has made noises about restoring the full amount.  House Republicans also say they do not support Gov. Corbett’s proposal to discontinue using Cigarette Tax revenue to help preserve farmland.

-- The House wants to restore $50 million more for the Education Achievement Block Grants. Gov. Corbett cut them to zero, the Senate put back in $50 million;

-- The House wants to restore the remaining $84 million cut by Corbett from the welfare block grant counties get for human services. The Senate already restored $84 million;

-- Sen. Pileggi is defending $50 million he inserted into the budget for fiscally-distressed schools from House members who want it to be in education block grants instead;

-- The House wants to either insist on an in-state tuition freeze in exchange for agreeing to the Senate higher education restorations of $245 million Corbett wants to cut, or to use some of that money for counties or other programs.

The Governor also has other legislative priorities he would like to get done before the General Assembly adjourns for the summer--

-- Consolidation of economic development programs into the Liberty Loan Fund;

-- Major reforms of the justice system including sentencing, parole and other recommendations to cut $351 million from the Department of Corrections’ budget; and

-- Two major education reform bills-- charter school oversight by the state and educator accountability and student testing.

Rep. Turzai is also continuing his campaign for liquor store privatization.

Reducing pension costs for both state employee and school employees is also on the agenda of the Governor and Senate and House leaders, but no one is sure how far they will get on this multi-billion issue.

And, of course, legislators are still interested in some sort of transportation funding package.

Pennsylvania collected $1.9 billion in General Fund revenue in May, which was $43.8 million, or 2.3 percent, less than anticipated, Secretary of Revenue Daniel Meuser reported Friday. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $24.9 billion, which is $332.9 million, or 1.3 percent, below estimate.

Gov. Corbett had estimated the deficit for FY 2011-12 would be $719 million.

The House will start considering the nearly 60 amendments to the Senate-passed budget bill next week.

In other words, there’s a lot of work ahead in the next 16 voting days of session.

            NewsClips: Amid Red Ink, Support For Keystone Fund Restoration

                                Column: Conservationist Cries Foul Over Budget Cuts 

                                Editorial: Not The Time To Stop Land Preservation 

                                GOP Legislative Leaders Project United Budget Front 

                        GOP Legislative Leaders Mull State Budget

                        Corbett Faces Budget Attack

 


6/4/2012

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