Several things to keep in mind as you consider the various proposals under consideration: Both the House and Senate Republicans want to spend $27.3 billion. They arrive at that figure in slightly different ways but it’s about 2% less than what the state actually spent in the just-concluded fiscal year. The Governor proposes to spend $28.7 billion. So, the House Democrats’ new plan calls for spending about $300 million more than Rendell. All this budgeteering is set against the backdrop of a deep national recession that continues to claim jobs and stifles economic growth.
Friday night at 9 in a special one-hour statewide public television edition of Inside the Budget Battle, we will delve more deeply into the current state budget stalemate and discuss the possible solutions with two of the leading voices in the fight: Republican State Senator Jake Corman, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Democratic Representative Kathy Manderino, daughter of the late former House speaker and Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Welfare. You can submit your questions and comments for the legislators at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Friday, July 17 marks the first payless payday for state employees. About 1,000 court workers will not receive a paycheck. Another 33,380 state employees will get only about 70 percent of what they are due. And next Friday, July 24, an additional 44,230 state workers will be paid only about 20 percent of their usual checks if the budget is not enacted by Thursday, July 16. Gov. Rendell would be among that group of unpaid employees. Finally, as of Friday, July 31, no state workers will be paid until a budget or stopgap spending measure is approved
The Governor has taken his spin on the budget to the airwaves of YouTube. But Rendell says he will forgo a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi later this week as chair of the National Governors’ Association’s annual summer meeting. Coming on the heels of the first partial-payday for state workers, Rendell said, “I think I need to be around.” This decision comes a few days after Rendell uttered a line that some considered insensitive to the plight of state workers.
Some of those state workers took to the Capitol steps and other state government worksites Tuesday for an angry protest against the budget stalemate and the specter of payless paydays. Ohio lawmakers finally reached a budget agreement but there is no end in sight right now for Pennsylvania's budget impasse. Be sure to join us Friday night at 10 for the latest Inside the Budget Battle.
