HARRISBURG — Legislative Republicans on Tuesday began another effort to complete the state budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, but they have yet to win the support of Gov. Tom Wolf, who has vetoed past GOP proposals to finalize Pennsylvania’s spending plans.
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, and House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana, appeared together Tuesday afternoon to tell reporters they plan today to send Mr. Wolf legislation that would restore funding for state prisons, the main K-12 education line and medical assistance. They said it is time to finish the state budget for the current fiscal year and move on to the plan for next year.
“At some point you’ve got to be realistic as to what’s possible and what’s not possible this year,” Mr. Reed said.
Mr. Wolf told reporters he has not seen the final version of the plan, but he did not sound enthusiastic.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we have got to make the math work here,” the governor said. “We’ve got to get everybody on board with a budget that actually is in balance. I”ll wait to see if that is in fact the case with this.”
Nor did House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, who called the plan “a joke.”
“There’s no new revenue here,” Mr. Dermody said. “It doesn’t begin to solve the problem. We want to work together to solve the problem.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Republican plan Tuesday afternoon, preparing it for final passage by the Senate today. Mr. Reed said the House will then approve the bill, sending it to the governor.
Pennsylvania went without a state budget for months, as Mr. Wolf tried to secure tax increases, which he says are needed to close a structural deficit, and increased education funding, while the Republican legislative majorities resisted the proposed tax hikes and sought changes to the state pension and liquor systems.
In late December, Mr. Wolf signed into law the majority of a GOP-crafted plan, but vetoed portions of important spending categories in an effort to draw legislators back to negotiations. He allowed about half a year of the main K-12 education funding line to be released to schools.
Mr. Corman said Tuesday that schools should receive their state funding. The GOP plan would increase the main K-12 education line by $50 million more than the budget legislators sent the governor in December, the Republican leaders said.
“We are weeks, if not days, away from some schools running out of money, not being able to make payroll,” Mr. Corman said. “Whether they can keep the schols open or not, I don’t know.”
Karen Langley: klangley@post-gazette.com or 717-787-2141 or on Twitter @karen_langley
First Published: March 16, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
