Weekly Budget Blitz: 7/20 -7/24

MON: Senate takes carving knife to House budget;

TUES: House rejects Senate amended budget;

WED: informal talks begin between all sides;

NEXT MON: bi-cameral conference committee will be chosen and will start negotiating

Lawmakers easing into budget talks

State lawmakers engaged in some informal budget talks yesterday, with a conference committee to be chosen for formal meetings on Monday.

Senate takes “filet knife” to House’s budget, sends back to House

Yesterday, the Senate approved their amendment to the House’s budget, which effectively cut it from $29.1 billion to $27.1 billion. The bill was kicked back to the House where they can either approve it, amend it or reject it.

Senate to slash House approved budget today

Senate Republicans say they will introduce an amendment to cut the House’s budget from $29.1 billion to $27.4 billion, using one time revenue sources such as tax amnesty and the Rainy Day Fund to balance revenue with spending.

All things budget 7/16

The House gets ready to debate both the House R and the House D’s budget proposal. While the Patriot-News asks if budget talks would be running more smoothly with Fumo still in office…

House Dems vote their own budget proposal to the floor

Yesterday evening House Dems voted their $29.1 billion budget proposal out of committee. Their proposal calls for $400 million more in spending than Rendell’s and effectively de-funds higher education.

Budget Weekly Wrap-up: 7/6 -> 7/10

It was announced that the Governor’s proposed personal income tax increase, which would be used to balance the budget, is dead. Find out what both sides may do now…

Some progress being made…well, a little…

While the difference between the governor’s and the Senate R’s budget has narrowed by $200 million, they still remain $1.3 billion apart. Another canyon sized gap still exists when it comes to their ideology on taxes.

Starting yet another fiscal year without a budget…

…this makes seven in a row.

Budget negotiations to continue this afternoon

Legislative leaders will meet with Gov. Rendell behind closed doors this afternoon in attempt to move closer to a budget deal.