PA House Leader Continues Push To Overhaul Gov't As Lawmakers Are Sworn In

HARRISBURG (CBS) -- As Pennsylvania lawmakers took the oath of office for a new two-year term of the legislature Tuesday, the state House majority leader continued to make his case for an overhaul of state government.

As members of the new state legislature were sworn in Tuesday, they got more bad budget news, with revenue collections for December coming in at nearly four percent less than expected.

Republican Dave Reed, the House majority leader, continued to stress his belief that lawmakers need to completely rethink the structure of Pennsylvania's government.

"It's time to change government and it's time to do it together."

But while he said he is loath to criticize a worthy goal, Franklin and Marshall College political analyst Terry Madonna also says attempting to reinvent state government in another difficult budget year could make matters worse.

"It could be a serious point of contention that could divide Democrats and Republicans even more."

Madonna said another wild card factor in the overhaul discussion is the possibility of Majority Leader Reed running for governor.