Pennsylvania Senate passes short-term spending plan
(AP) — The Pennsylvania Senate on Friday passed an $11 billion short-term spending plan that faces a certain veto by Gov. Tom Wolf amid an entrenched budget stalemate that is forcing schools to take out loans and shutting off some social services.
On Wednesday, Wolf made a counteroffer involving gestures toward two key GOP demands: that the state privatize its control of wine and liquor sales and replace the traditional pension benefit for future school and state government employees with contributions to a 401(k)-style retirement plan.
Wolf has countered that the GOP's budget bill would have shortchanged education and human services, deepened a long-term budget deficit and let the natural gas industry off the hook.
Wolf says the plan would wipe out the GOP's funding cuts for schools and human services enacted under Wolf's Republican predecessor, Tom Corbett, and balance the state government's long-term deficit.
The sides also have significant differences over reducing debt in the state's two big public employee pension systems and the future of the state-controlled wine and liquor store system.