Wolf, GOP Trade Barbs On Budget; Stopgap Bills Advance

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa., (CBS) -- The state Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday gave initial approval to stopgap budget bills that would provide short-term funding as the budget stalemate continues for a third month. But the stopgap legislation is headed for a likely veto by Governor Wolf, who called it a "poke in the eye."

As Senate Republicans moved ahead with stopgap legislation, they and Governor Wolf engaged in finger pointing over the status of budget talks. GOP legislative leaders said Wolf rejected their proposals on education funding and pension reform. But the governor said he countered with his own proposals on pensions and leasing of state liquor sales. Wolf angrily dismissed the short-term funding approach.

"I'm against the stopgap. I mean this is – they're poking me in the eye again. That's exactly what this about. They want to see, I guess, how far they can push me. They can't."

Notwithstanding Wolf's position, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman says he does not believe stopgap legislation is a waste of time.

"Hopefully by the time the House passes [it] and it gets to the governor's desk, he'll change his mind," said Corman.

Corman said stopgap funding is the "right thing to do."