Analyst: House Vote Brings 'Dose Of Reality' To State Budget Talks
By Tony Romeo
Harrisburg, PA (CBS) -- With a new state budget due at the end of the month, and prospects for an on-time budget not bright, capitol observers are evaluating the impact of unusual developments in the House this past week.
On Monday, when House Democrats tried to get a vote on Governor Wolf's spending proposal, Republican leaders brought up Wolf's tax proposal for a vote instead and that proposal was shot down unanimously.
Democrats said their no votes were to protest what they called a "stunt." But one high-ranking Republican legislative staffer said at least initially, it's changed the dynamic, in a positive way, in negotiations with the governor.
Franklin and Marshall College political analyst Terry Madonna isn't as optimistic that recent events changed the prospect for a late budget.
"I don't think they significantly changed it," Madonna said. "But I do think there's a dose of reality that's setting in about how important these differences are."
Madonna believes the most likely scenario remains a GOP-passed budget at least partially vetoed by the governor.