Still Miles to Go, Pa. Budget Misses Deadline

Charlene Shupp
Espenshade
Special Sections Editor

MANHEIM, Pa. — As of Tuesday, the difference between the state Senate’s budget and Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed budget was about $1.6 billion. The question now facing both sides of this issue, is how to balance that budget.

And with the passage of the budget deadline, as of presstime, Pennsylvania is without its budget for this year.

Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Chair Mike Brubaker (R-36) said at the heart of the debate is whether to cut spending or raise taxes.

Brubaker addressed the attendees of the Farming for Success event at the Penn State Landisville Research Farm.

Rendell wants to balance the budget through use of the state’s “rainy day fund,” increases in taxes and expanding gaming to include video poker.

“This budget gives me angst,” said Brubaker of the cuts made to the agriculture line items. While unhappy about the cuts, with calls for a “no-tax” budget, he felt compelled to support the Senate proposal. Agriculture was one of the agencies that received significant cuts in the Senate’s attempt to balance it.

“We need to spend less or increase taxes, there is no third option,” he said of the budget debate.

Brubaker wants the House to move on its version of a proposed budget so that conferences between the two houses could begin and a final budget could be hammered out. The hang-up in the House is that its leadership wants a budget with increased spending, but cannot secure the votes for it to pass it, he said.

Brubaker said Rendell has also defined the state’s public universities, including Penn State, as non-public institutions. This makes all of the universities ineligible for federal stimulus monies.

For government workers, the significant deadline will be July 17. If the budget is not settled by then, state employees will not be paid. Right now, he said, lawyers are discussing whether or not state employees will be required to report to work with retroactive pay until the budget passes.

“If the state budget is not passed by the middle of July, the temperature on the stove will be turned up significantly,” he said.