State Legislators Have Budget Deal, Rendell Not On Board
It's semi-official: The state General Assembly has reached a tentative agreement on a $27.945 billion budget for the fiscal year that started 73 days ago. Absent today from a Capitol news conference that just ended were Gov. Rendell and leaders of the state House GOP. But leaders of the three other legislative caucuses were confident that they have the votes to move forward on the spending plan.
It's semi-official: The state General Assembly has reached a tentative agreement on a $27.945 billion budget for the fiscal year that started 73 days ago. Absent today from a Capitol news conference to discuss the deal were Gov. Rendell and leaders of the state House GOP. But leaders of the three other legislative caucuses were confident that they have the votes to move forward on the spending plan.
"I do apologize that it has taken us so long to come together and reach this compromise," said House Speaker Keith McCall. "The people of Pennsylvania deserve better."
Gov. Rendell is apparently unhappy with how the budget is put together but McCall said the legislators worked hard to make sure the amount of money Rendell wanted for education and recurring revenues were in the plan. "As far as we are concerned, we have met those parameters," he added.
Here are a few budget details:
Table games would be legalized at state casinos, including two planned for Philadelphia. The plan calls for an estimated $200 million in revenue this year, mostly from the [so far not set] additional licensing fee that casino owners would have to pay to include table games.
A one-time transfer of $755 million from the state's Rainy Day Fund.
A 25-cent increase in the tax on packs of cigarettes and a cut of $16.1 million per year for two years in funding for tobacco use cessation and prevention programs.
A $75 million reduction on so far unnamed tax credit programs.
The legislative leaders said they will be working on finalizing the plan and presenting it to their members for votes for most if not all of next week and maybe into the following week. Lt. Gov. Joseph Scarnati, a Republican who is also the Senate President Pro Tem, said they were sure they have the votes to pass the plan. He declined to say whether the legislators could override a veto from Gov. Rendell on the plan. "That's not material at this point," he said.