Pa. House Could Vote On State Budget Today

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Pennsylvania House could take a final vote as soon as today on a new state budget, but there's still a ways to go in the process.

As House majority Republicans positioned their budget bill for a possible final vote today, Democrats did not offer any amendments but instead tried unsuccessfully to  slow the process down. Allegheny County's Joe Markosek, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, argued that because revenues in the current fiscal year are above projections, the GOP budget bill could be reworked.

"This additional revenue can be used to help soften the blow of devastating cuts," Markosek said.

But Allegheny County Republican Mike Turzai, the House majority leader, chastised the opposition for not offering an alternative, "Where's you opposing budget? Or are you just the party of 'no'?"

Once the bill passes the House, it will go to the Senate which, although also controlled by the GOP, has indicated it has some different ideas on the spending plan.

Reported by Harrisburg Bureau Chief Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio 1060