Pa. gov working to avoid more deep spending cuts

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Corbett’s top budget adviser isn’t saying whether the Republican will ask the Legislature for deep spending cuts when he presents a spending plan in February.

Budget Secretary Charles Zogby said today his office is trying to produce a budget plan that doesn’t include deep cuts. But he says it’s too early to predict that ahead of the governor’s Feb. 5 budget address.

Corbett took a campaign pledge not to increase taxes, and has pushed through deep cuts in spending on education, social services and aid for the poor to balance his first two budgets.

Zogby says his guidance is to balance the budget without increasing taxes. But he also predicts a $1.3 billion increase in costs primarily for Medicaid and public-employee pensions.