Unemployment Comp Workers At Heart If Spat Between Wolf, PA GOP
HARRISBURG (CBS) -- A simmering dispute between Democratic Governor Wolf and state Senate Republicans could slow down processing of unemployment claims in Pennsylvania and see the layoff of more than 500 state workers. It is also shaping up as the opening skirmish in the race for governor in 2018.
The spat has been bubbling ever since the state Senate last month ended its two-year session without voting on legislation to authorize funds for unemployment call centers and Governor Wolf followed by announcing plans to close some of those call centers. This past week, the finger pointing continued, with Republican Senator Scott Wagner, a likely challenger to Wolf in 2018, saying the governor is seeking to salvage his political career.
"And he's using the livelihood of state employees as pawns to do so," Wagner said.
Wolf, meanwhile, insists that the Senate needs to approve funding…
"The Senate Republicans need to get their act together and make sure that they do what they say they were going to do," Wolf said.
But the unemployment compensation system layoffs are scheduled later this month and the new legislative session does not begin until January.
