Pennsylvania’s State Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi announced today that he has informed his fellow Republicans that they will probably have to continue working on the $29.4 billion budget plan into July.
With only two weeks remaining before the fiscal year ends on June 30, Senator Pileggi said that it’s unlikely a new state budget will be approved before then.
Balancing Pennsylvania’s budget has been the on political slate for several months, but with current projections estimating the gap could be as high as $2 billion dollars, the conversation has now captured the focus of both the major parties.
Governor Corbett recently stated that he believes the key to controlling the budget is fixing Pennsylvania’s pension system. “If we want to be able to spend more on education, more money in agriculture, in tourism…we have to get control of our pension system.”
Jay Pagni, the spokesman for Gov. Corbett, reinforced this point by stating that “the governor is prepared to stay as long it takes” until lawmakers address ways to restructure the state’s public employee pension systems and liberalize the sale of alcoholic beverages in Pennsylvania.
Earlier today, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party unveiled a new video that points the finger of blame at the Governor, attributing the shortfall to his poor planning and ineffective fiscal decisions.
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12 Responses
Larry shouldn’t be allowed to vote. He is meanspirted and nitpicky. and he doesn’t care about the people of penns.
This shows that Gov. Corbett either doesn’t understand pensions or is being deceitful – any pension reform that would reduce the unfunded liability would not help close the FY2014-15 budget gap. He’s talking about getting legislative approval to borrow more money from the pension funds by avoiding paying the minimums with more rate collar voodoo. Corbett and friends are only interested in eliminating the pension system, gradually if necessary, and forcing people onto 401(k)-style plans that benefit banks and the financial industry over the workers and taxpayers.
Oh Dear PA Taxpayers: TARP wasn’t enough for the bankers. They needed relief from Tom Corbett who is ever willing to offer Corporate Welfare as the PAGOP consulting class is feeding off of Corbett’s dying political body! #PABudget: Subtraction’s Revenge on Republican Budget Math – Keystone Politics
http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2014/05/pabudget-subtractions-revenge-repu
blican-budget-math/
Tom Corbett started with a billion dollar surplus from Ed Rendell’s 2010 budget. That $4.2 billion deficit that Mr. Corbett almost lovingly touts was a worst-case scenario predicted by Governor Rendell after the stimulus funds ended. It did not happen.
To balance the 2012 budget, Tom Corbett depleted the state’s cash reserves. Now, Tom Corbett is coming up at least $1 billion short on the 2013 budget, so he has to double that to balance his 2014 budget – which Standard & Poor says was already stuffed with accounting tricks and delusions.
At the close of fiscal 2013, there are only 9 states with a higher deficit than PA, this as PA has dropped from 7th to 46th in job creation since 2011.
Tom Corbett says his pals in the gas industry will leave if we charge them a severance tax. But where will they go? They cannot take the Marcellus Shale with them. And everywhere else charges a 5% severance tax, and more.
No reason to let Mr. Corbett keep handling our money.
It’s frightening that people like Chris Martinez get to vote when they don’t know the difference between “would have” and “would of,” don’t know Senator Stack’s first name, and can’t spell the name of the largest city in Western Pennsylvania.
Corbett is very very relieved that Allison Schwartz is not the challenger in November. She would of beaten him with plenty of votes to spare. Now it could go either way in November, it all depends on what Wolfs runningmate Mark Stack says and does when he gives his big speech in Pittsburg on July 1.
1) lower sales tax to 5%
2) make it apply to everything, including clothes
This should give enough revenue to balance budget and then some. Next year don’t spend the revenue, use it to reduce property taxes.
No tax increase. Revenue from sales tax will be substantial.
Uh oh, a late Corbett budget!! This has been a source of pride by Corbett and the Republican legislature always proclaiming they were so much more effective than Rendell. This doesn’t reflect well on One-term Tom.
Corbett’s statement: “If we want to be able to spend more on education, more money in agriculture, in tourism…we have to get control of our pension system”
First of all, we make money on tourism. Tourism is not a “necessary” function of government (though it does help the economy and local businesses, hotels, etc)
Second, Corbett doesn’t want to spend more on education (unless it’s going to private charters aka donors).
Third: “the governor is prepared to stay as long it takes” … well, that’s not going to be past January, since he is going to lose in November.
Fourth- the people paying into the pension system have played by the rules. It’s the obligation of the government to honor/enforce/prioritize fund to cover payments.
Fifth- Cut the wasteful expenses in the state legislature (also, ask the legislators to turn over all their bribes into the general fund as a courtesy donation)
Fifth- Tax gas extraction
Sixth- Do a huge round of surprise environmental testing (without a heads up warning in advance) and start collecting heavy fines for all the violations.
The state store system brings in more $$ than a privatized system. They can get almost anything. I enjoy their coupons and specials.
Maybe Dom will finally get it through his caucus that you just can’t keep cutting spending. After four years of Governor Corbett’s slashing of spending and GOP total control, it can’t be that PA has a spending problem… be honest Dom and One Term Tom – PA has a revenue problem – we do not take in enough $ to perform the very basis level of government services that the PA state government provides.
Way to go, PA Republicans! Another outstanding display of Fiscal Responsibility and Politicial Leadership! Whatsamatter – too hard to hide all those goodies you are obligated to hand out to your campaign contributors? Having a hard time finding a justification for cutting taxes for the rich again? Or are you just pressuring Big Fracking until they come across with the annual bribe, I mean, PAC donations? All of the above? You have BOTH houses and the governors office, and you still can’t do the one job you have to do. You should all resign – yesterday.