Corbett Agenda Hits Snag In Legislature
By Tony Romeo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - With summer recess looming, Governor Corbett's ambitious spring agenda has suffered a setback in the state legislature. It appears lawmakers will have to work past their scheduled Sunday night recess to finish work on the budget.
The State House failed to begin the expected debate on a bill to raise new funds for roads, bridges and mass transit on Saturday.
"We have a significant number of Republican votes but we do not have any Democratic votes," House Republican Leader Mike Turzai said. "And it was going to be a bipartisan effort."
A spokesman for House Democratic leaders says the transportation funding bill is still inadequate. If the House cannot pass a transportation bill, which is a priority for the Senate, it complicates the chances for final action on liquor privatization, which House leaders are pushing.
With regard to the new State budget, while the general spending bill may be passed on time, it appears companion bills necessary to enact the budget will not get done until Monday, which is past the deadline.
