$29B budget bill passes Pa. House, heads to Senate

Apparently the state House is trying to get a jump start on budget negotiations this year. Yesterday the House passed Governor Rendell's budget proposal.Last year Pennsylvania didn't have a final budget until the end of October. Although the move looks promising, Rendell's budget once again calls for wasteful increases in state spending which isn't going to go over well in the Republican controlled Senate

The bill would increase spending by about 4 percent and would require no increase in any broad-based taxes. It will rely on about $3 billion in federal budget aid, including some that Congress is expected to approve.

But the state's tax collections are running behind expectations this year and Republicans say cutbacks are needed.

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This is not responsible leadership by Governor Rendell or the Democratic leaders in the House. We are smarter than they think. If they know that the Senate is not going to go along with spending increases why then are they even proposing them? It is a joke and voters in Pennsylvania understand it is a joke.

Once again Governor Rendell will hold Pennsylvanians hostage until he strong arms his spending increases through the legislature. Republicans Senators need to stand firm and call for no spending increases this year considering that state revenues are under the original projections.

More: Pa. House passes a budget, early - but hold the accolades (John Bare, Daily News)