Wolf, GOP put off plans to resume budget talks

Day 57

: A day after Republicans failed to override portions of Gov. Wolf's veto of their own $30 billion budget plan, the governor and top GOP legislators postponed plans to resume negotiations. Wolf said he needed more time to review the two key issues on the table: The Republicans' plan to reform the public pension system, and his own request for a $400 million boost in education funding.

House and Senate GOP leaders said that the meeting was not rescheduled and that they had been told it would not take place this week, PennLive.com reported. Wolf's spokesman, Jeff Sheridan, blamed the legislators. "Republican leaders changed their numbers regarding pension savings three times during yesterday's meeting and cannot provide clarity on the details of their pension reform plan," he said, according to the website. GOP leaders said they had answered the questions about the proposal.

The shutoff of state funding continued to reverberate. Preschool operators in Chester and Montgomery Counties announced plans for a news conference with area superintendents this week to show classrooms they say would not be staffed because of a lack of prekindergarten funding. Some said they would have to take out loans to stay afloat.

Next budget talks: Unscheduled. - Inquirer staff