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Monday, July 6, 2009

Governor's math
"There is not a thing in here that doesn't hurt," Gov. Rendell said. A GOP Senate leader differed.

As Harrisburg enters Day 6 of the state budget impasse, the quote of the day comes from Chuck Ardo, Gov. Rendell's spokesman.

An Inquirer article examines Rendell's sometimes-fuzzy math as he wages budget war with the Senate GOP.  Ardo explains, "The governor uses numbers to make a point. His numbers are not inaccurate, although sometimes they do not tell the whole story."


Isn't that special?

As for the legislature, our Sunday editorial pointed out its fondness for playing with numbers, too -- such as its $200 million slush fund.

And Daily News columnist John Baer makes an excellent point in today's column: although legislators don't get paid a salary during the budget stalemate, they can still collect "per diem" expenses. If a legislator lives more than 50 miles from the Capitol, he or she can receive up to $158 per day in expenses for every day the budget fight drags on, courtesy of taxpayers.

Wasn't it Vince Fumo who boasted about playing with "other people's money"?
Posted by Dave Boyer @ 12:16 PM  Permalink | 3 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:22 PM, 07/06/2009
    MAKE SURE... With no budget, when they stop paying state workers, they also stop paying the GOVERNOR and ALL THE LEGISLATORS. They need to suffer like all the other government employees.
    — republicrat
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:05 AM, 07/07/2009
    Rendell is all about Rendell.
    — rbpeeple
  • Comment removed.


3 comments
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