Pa. Senate Expected To Vote On House-Approved Budget Today

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - The Pennsylvania Senate is poised to vote on a budget bill today, after the state House debated and passed the spending plan Thursday.

Delaware County Republican Bill Adolph, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, says improved revenues allowed legislative leaders and Governor Corbett to agree to a final budget more than half a billion dollars above what the governor proposed in February.

"We did this, ladies and gentlemen, without raising taxes."

But Democrats like Joe Markosek, the ranking minority member of the Appropriations Committee, said not only does the budget still contain too many painful cuts, it will result in tax hikes at the local level.

"We have seen school district after school district after school district raising taxes."

While the bill that sets state spending levels is now ready for final action, other bills that make up the entire package of budget legislation are still in the works, and seem likely to go down to wire of Saturday night's deadline.