Pa. Legislature winds up 3 weeks of budget hearings

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Legislature is winding up three weeks of hearings on Gov. Tom Corbett’s $27.3 billion budget plan.

Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee fired pointed questions today at Charles Zogby, the governor’s top budget adviser, about proposed deep cuts in education and other issues during a hearing that lasted more than three hours.

William Adolph, chairman of the House panel, predicted a final budget would be passed without a tax increase and before the June 30 deadline.

The panel’s ranking Democrat, Joseph Markosek, says he remains concerned that a proposed $1 billion cut in public school funding will simply force property-tax increases at the local level.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jake Corman says he expects lawmakers will try to shrink the education cuts.