PhillyClout spotted state Rep. Dwight Evans exiting Council President Anna Verna's office this morning. Evens met with Verna, Mayor Nutter and council members Marion Tasco and Darrell Clarke to talk about how Harrisburg would handle the city budget.
Mayor Nutter needs Harrisburg approval for two items in his proposed budget – a hike to the sales tax and changes to the city pension payouts. Evans, head of the House Appropriations Committee, said it was too soon to say how state legislators would react to those requests.
"We want to work with them. We understand that the challenges they face are challenges that a lot of cities and counties face across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And that we're going to be open to their ideas," Evans said.
Another issue for Harrisburg: Council has questioned whether the city should consider a hike to the city wage tax. The Nutter administration has argued that a such a tax hike would not play well with state legislators because the state has dedicated gaming revenues to the city to reduce wage taxes.
Asked how Harrisburg would react if Philly tried to raise the wage tax, Evans punted.
"I told them I couldn't answer that question for them. I basically said to them that I thought at this point that it was important that the mayor and council, that we all work together," Evans said. "Issues such as that require them to decide among themselves first and come to Harrisburg as a unified force."