Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Pa. budget passed by state Senate

HARRISBURG — A belt-tightening $28 billion budget bill passed the state Senate by a comfortable margin and was sent the House, where leaders hoped to get an on-time budget to Gov. Ed Rendell's desk before midnight.

The 37-to-13 vote on Wednesday followed less than an hour of debate in which senators described it as a compromise product of difficult financial times.

"It's important for us to reflect the recession we're in … by having a budget that constrains spending," said Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman, R-Centre.

The budget deal would boost spending over 2009-10 by less than 1 percent.

House Democratic leaders who hope to make the deadline will need help from Republicans — many against the budget's size — in mustering the supermajority required to waive a rule that requires 24 hours' notice before a bill is voted.

Rendell's previous seven budgets have all been enacted after the July 1 start of the fiscal year. He came closest in 2006, while running for re-election, by signing the bill on July 2.

Associated Press

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