Leader-run talks may resolve Pa. budget

MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press Writer

HARRISBURG — A faint glimmer of hope emerged Tuesday that Pennsylvania’s three-week-old budget stalemate might soon be resolved after a House vote that moved the dispute closer to being handled by a committee of legislative leaders.

The Democrat-controlled House voted 150-49 to reject a Republican-penned state budget that passed the Senate late Monday. The bill was sent back to the Senate, and all sides predicted a six-member, bipartisan conference committee of senators and representatives would be appointed to attempt to find common ground.

House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Butler Township, said he hoped lawmakers could reach a deal within days, not weeks.

“The public expects us to finish this budget. State employees expect us to finish this budget. We want it done,” Eachus said.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, said his goal was “a final budget that conforms to the principles we have consistently advocated: a sustainable budget with no broad-based tax increases, which spends less in fiscal year 2009-10 than in fiscal year 2008-09.”

House Democrats have passed a $29.1 billion proposal that combines cuts with new and expanded taxes. But it would spend $2 billion more than the austerity budget the Senate approved Monday night with the support of a single Democrat.

Gov. Ed Rendell, speaking at a news conference with fellow Democratic leaders, called the House vote “a tremendous victory for the children of Pennsylvania.”

Democrats said the main issues for the conference committee will be education funding, children’s health programs and the amount and sources of any additional revenue.

Rendell stopped short of insisting on the 16 percent personal-income tax increase he has proposed.