PA Budget Process Stalls Over Revenue Component
by Tony Romeo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Efforts to finalize the state budget process have hit a snag as lawmakers and Governor Wolf struggle to agree on a package of revenues for the spending bill sent to the governor's desk Thursday night.
The governor says he'll sign the budget bill, but not until there's agreement on how to fund it.
This year's state budget process has been different from years past, with the primary focus on first crafting a spending plan, and the question of how to pay for it taking a back seat.
When the House gave final approval to the budget bill Thursday, some members questioned the wisdom of that.
Now the issue of revenue has become problematic, though Friday afternoon, Republican Dave Reed, the House majority leader, sought to downplay the rift.
"I don't think it has to fall apart at all. I think folks just have to realize that hey, this is what we've been talking about all along. We've put a general appropriations bill together based upon this premise. We worked together," said Reed.
That premise to which Reed refers includes extra revenues from, among other things, tobacco taxes and expanded gaming. Reed says there are not enough votes in the House for another proposal for a tax on consumers' natural gas bills.
