Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing back against Gov. Tom Corbett’s call for deep cuts in education and social service programs.
According to
The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, GOP Senate leaders want $500 million more than the Republican governor has included in his $27.1 billion budget proposal.
Their plan would restore at least $240 million in proposed cuts by Corbett to state colleges and restore the rest of the money across the state’s secondary public schools and social programs.
The changes, which are likely to pass both the GOP-controlled state Senate and House, reflect increased tax collections this year and lower pension and debt service costs, Republican state Rep. Jake Corman told the Patriot-News.
“This budget reflects the revenues where they are today, and it reflects spending restorations in areas that a lot of people have concerns about,” Corman said.
Corbett has expressed a willingness to modify his budget plan. But his press secretary, Kevin Harley, told the newspaper the Senate version still spends too much based on forecasts that might prove too optimistic.
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