We’re now just hours away from the budget deadline and it appears highly unlikely a deal will be struck before midnight.
As a result, you’ll likely hear plenty of blame being passed around.
Instead of telling you who’s responsible, however, we want to know what you think.
Is Governor Wolf too inexperienced? Are Republicans unwilling to compromise? Does the fault lie with both parties or the system itself?
We ask you our readers, what do you think?
Who Do You Blame for Missing the Budget Deadline?
- Governor Wolf (66%)
- Legislative Republicans (30%)
- Both (4%)
- Neither (0%)
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20 Responses
The ground rules are: the legislature has to pass a budget that the governor can sign. If the governor vetoes the budget, it means that the legislature didn’t reach across the aisle to find bipartisan solutions that would survive a veto. When the Republicans control the veto pen, they are very good at spelling out these ground rules. The Constitution gives the Governor the right to insist on 2/3rds.
When the Republicans LOSE the governorship, and the other side wins, suddenly they want NEW rules. We used to call this “sore loser”.
If you want a state without a fracking tax and you don’t want homeowner tax relief, then get organized and try to win in 2018. Until then, same rules as when you do win. Right?
Jan-
1) They ARE putting away money for their own retirement
2) They took less pay upfront and let the state save money by putting into pension fund instead
3) The state failed to put in the money they promised, while the workers kept up their end.
The state is simply in breach of contract of they don’t fund the pensions as they agreed.
RE: most importantly the recent Supreme Court decision to allow redistricting commissions instead of gerrymandering then the people will win.
Amen. Who will have the courage to start driving this bus while is is fresh in the minds of the voters?
Gov Wolf promised the MOON and HIGH TAXES. I believe the average increase in family taxes was over $1,400. I wish all governments would focus JUST on growing jobs, and reducing the ever-wider range of activities they get into. Liquor stores can be solved! Do it! State Pensions for workers and teachers are very taxing to my brain. I worked all my life, saved for my own retirement and at the same time have to pay for other people’s retirement because they can’t save their own? WAIT A MINUTE! That’s ridiculous.
When ideology and reality clash the losers are the people. When meaningful campaign finance reform, open primaries and most importantly the recent Supreme Court decision to allow redistricting commissions instead of gerrymandering then the people will win.
History Lesson about sending the same people back to Harrisburg. Example Scarnati: He in 2015 says we need pension reform and to sell the state stores. State Stores: In the last four years he has consistently been an opponent of selling stores.
Pensions: He voted for doubling the Senate and House Pensions. Scarnati has been in the Senate Leadership for the last ten years and never made an attempt to properly fund the pension raise he voted for. Scarnati when he retires will receive that doubled pension rate because he is grandfathered in. How many more Harrisburg Lawmakers are under this same tent. It is our the voters fault we keep sending these same people back. Governor Wolf is trying hard to educate children and give property tax relief but he has to deal with these professional politicians whose only agenda is to keep their jobs by supporting special interests that allows them to do so.
The ‘voter’s may have elected Governor Anyone-but-Corbett but he hardly got a mandate from being the UnCorbett candidate. The voters also sent a stronger Republican majority state congress back to Harrisburg and their mandate is clear: rein in pensions and property tax reform, and get liquor privatization passed and keep this governor in check. They are doing their jobs. Wolf needs to realize none of his agenda is feasible without compromise on his part. Any stonewalling on his part is purely out of capitulation to his union cronies.
The majority party in both houses knew they could pass a budget (and a pension bill, SB 1) that had a zero percent chance of being approved. That is legislative failure.
Corporate welfare? How about Government welfare???? It is obvious that state worker pensions and the state store mess needs a resolution.
Grammar police citation:
Should be: WHOM do you blame…
🙂
Voters in the PA House and Senate districts need to realize that you keep sending the same idiots back to Harrisburg election after election, the same agendas will continue. We’ve been hearing tax reform, close the Delaware loophole, etc for decades. The real solution is take redistricting out of the hands of the PA Legislature.
When the Republican leaders of the legislature say on camera that they aren’t willing to compromise or negotiate with the governor, I think that is pretty unequivocal that they are the problem.
Chain the Governor to his desk AND glue his VETO PEN to his hand, because the GOP isn’t even trying to produce an acceptable budget.
Chain the Governor to his desk.
Your poll is misleading – the day is not over – the house and senate are in session currently – by midnight we will pass HB1192 which is a balanced budget – with NO tax increases to taxpayers – if the house and senate send a balanced budget to the governor – he can veto or sign.
There is still many issues to solve – property taxes and pensions to name two – there are many more – we will start tomorrow to solve the outstanding issues. The work has just started. Senator Wagner
Campaign adds and promises are easy, actually doing the job is not. The new Governor made too many promises that are not fiscally possible. He seems like a smart guy since I don’t know him personally, so I think it will work itself out. Everyone knows the game.
Fine the legislature members $1000 per day (and cut off their pay).
When 58% of Pennsylvanians support the Governor’s proposal, and NONE of it is reflected in the budget.. I’d say it’s pretty clear how outrageous Legislative Republicans are… We’re all sick of Corporate welfare and endless deficits. This thing will have earned the Governor’s veto.
This question is basically “Are you a Democrat, or a Republican?”
When there are 3 groups and one group does not agree, then the disagreeing group is responsible. Rightly or wrongly, that’s just how it is.