BGT: Senate GOP Trying to Push Through Stopgap

An angry Gov. Wolf said Wednesday he would veto the temporary budget Republicans are proposing, calling it “a very cynical, hypocritical attempt” to solve the problems the two sides are having in reaching a deal.

Asked if he would sign the Republicans’ short-term spending plan, he said he would have to see the details first.

Notwithstanding Wolf’s position, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman says he does not believe stopgap legislation is a waste of time.

The Democratic governor also said it was “ridiculous” for Republicans to say they want a stopgap, or interim, budget because they are anxious about state funding drying up for social service nonprofit organizations. But the stopgap legislation is headed for a likely veto by Governor Wolf, who called it a “poke in the eye”.

“Even best-case scenario, it’s going to be a few weeks to put this thing back together and get to a place where we can get a budget finalized”, Corman said. House action is expected next week. On pensions, he outlined a plan to move new employees into 401(k)-style plans on any income they earn over $75,000.

That offer included meeting a key demand of Wolf’s to boost state aid to public schools in exchange for him supporting a Republican measure to replace the traditional benefit in Pennsylvania’s major public pension systems with a 401(k)-style plan.

Wolf told the press he made a counter-offer to Republicans, with proposals of reform on pension and liquor privatization.

The Wolf administration says it legally can not reimburse foster care costs without an approved budget because it is a county-run program and the state government doesn’t directly provide the services.

The Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Council of Youngsters, Youth and Household Providers filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Commonwealth Courtroom.

“They are not”, Wolf said.

Heit: “I have to fund payroll tonight and I don’t mind telling you that the only way I was able to do was by to take a loan from my own personal retirement account because we’re just stuck”.

Delano: “Because the state legislature and the governor haven’t agreed?”

Heit echoes many Pennsylvanians with this advice to Harrisburg.