Gov. Rendell delays signing $28B Pa. budget

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers have sent a budget to Gov. Ed Rendell and he says he’ll sign it — eventually.

Rendell says he’ll sign the budget once lawmakers pass legislation specifying how the money is to be spent and a measure authorizing borrowing for capital projects.

Both chambers passed the belt-tightening $28 billion budget bill on Wednesday, the last day of the fiscal year.

The budget increases spending by less than 1 percent and includes no tax increases, but draws heavily from federal stimulus funds and cuts spending across a wide swath of state government.

The budget deal between Rendell and lawmakers includes an agreement to enact a tax by Oct. 1 on gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale formation.