Some legislators push for their pay to be withheld for late budget
Last year Rep. Jerry Nailor (R-Cumberland) introduced a bill that would take away lawmakers and Administration officials’ paychecks for as long as the budget isn’t passed after June 30th.
Rep. Everett wants healthcare/transportation considered after budget
Today the Williamsport Sun-Gazette reports that Rep. Garth Everett (R-Muncy) thinks it would be best for healthcare reform and energy policy to be put off after the budget plan is worked out, so that a deal be passed before deadline. He is also calling for more transparency in the budget process.
Aging expert: Spend more long-term health $ on in-home care
Today, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging Crystal Lowe, wrote in the Philly Inquirer about how this year’s budget plan should focus on readjusting long-term healthcare dollars.
Herald Standard: “Playing chicken” with the budget unacceptable
The Herald Standard editorialized today, saying that it’s completely wrong for the Republican Leaders and Gov. Rendell to be “playing chicken” to make a budget deal, while using a state worker furlough as a playing chip in negotiations.
State worker unions sue Rendell over furloughs
Yesterday, 3 unions representing state workers filed suit against Rendell for his threatened furloughs. The lawsuit questions whether Rendell can rightfully use the federal Fair Labor Act as the legal basis for authority to furlough about 25,000 state workers if a budget is not passed by the Constitutional deadline of July 1st, reports the Associated Press.
Senate: Budget bill to push along negotiations only
Yesterday a Senate Budget bill was passed on party lines, 29 -R v. 21 -D, cutting $400 million from Gov. Rendell’s proposed plan. However, Republican leaders say that that the vote was only an attempt to push along budget negotiations to get a plan passed by June 30th, and was not intended to derail negotiations between the leaders and the Gov, reports the Morning Call.
Senate GOP wants to cut spending due to slow economy
Yesterday the Senate Republicans advanced their budget bill, cutting the governor’s proposed plan by 400 million. They say that government spending must be cut due to the sluggish economy that has slowed revenue collections, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Gov. Rendell talks about the budget
Watch this video clip from WGAL-TV to see what Rendell has to say about the budget, and whether it could pass before state workers are furloughed.
Senate sends their budget bill to House, cutting $400 mill from Gov’s proposal
Today the Senate passed a Republican crafted budget bill on party lines 29-21, sending the bill off to the House, reports the Associated Press
Healthcare plan will probably sit on Legislatures’ back burner until fall
Yesterday Gov. Rendell stated that working out the main components of a healthcare plan to help the state’s uninsured is probably going to have to wait until September, when the lawmakers return for fall session, reports the Morning Call. Rendell sees this as an advantage, as the nearing Nov. election will prompt legislators to work a bit harder to “approve a conerstone of his second-term agenda.”