On-Time Budget In Harrisburg Not A Sure Thing

HARRISBURG (CBS) - Despite the fact that Republicans control the state legislature and the governor's office, a noted Pennsylvania political analyst thinks an on-time budget is not a slam dunk this year.

Counting on savings by eliminating errors and fraud, House Republicans this week will introduce a budget bill calling for almost a half billion dollars less in welfare spending than Governor Corbett has proposed. However, the governor does not believe it is prudent to budget for those savings.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans want to spend at least some of the surplus building in the current budget while Corbett does not.

Nonetheless, Erik Arneson, spokesman for the Senate majority leader, does not foresee a stalemate. "There's every reason to expect and the public is demanding an on-time budget."

Franklin and Marshall College professor and political analyst Terry Madonna is not as confident.  "I would say probably about 25 percent chance that they will not. There are some pretty significant differences among Republicans."

Madonna believes a late budget would be a political 'disaster' for those Republicans.

Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio