Budget Bill Headed To Corbett's Desk After Approval In Pennsylvania House
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - The state house on Wednesday passed and sent Governor Corbett a budget bill he wanted: one that reduces spending without a tax increase.
The final version of the budget restores some of the cuts Governor Corbett proposed for public and higher education, but education funding will still take a major hit. Bucks County House Democrat Steven Santarsiero, like many in his party, complained that the cuts could have been restored further.
"We have a $700 million budget surplus that could be used to cut these cuts in more than half right now."
But Allegheny County's John Maher and other Republicans say that while revenues in the current fiscal year are above expectations, the loss of federal stimulus dollars left a huge deficit to close in the new year.
"There is no surplus. I wish it were so."
Meanwhile, a last-ditch effort to pass a school voucher program before summer recess appears to have fizzled, as did an effort to impose fees on natural gas drilling.
Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio
