Pa. Gov. Wolf: GOP leaders blocking a sound budget agreement

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf attacked the Legislature’s Republican majority leaders today as “the only thing standing between us and a real budget” as a state government stalemate nears its fourth month and he prepares to veto a GOP-engineered short-term spending plan.

The first-term Democrat defended his planned veto and his stance in negotiations as seeking a sound, long-term fiscal path versus a series of flawed, Washington, D.C.-style short-term fixes. The stoppage of state aid has resulted in layoffs and huge borrowing costs as school districts, counties and nonprofit social services organizations search for ways to scrape by.

“I think the only thing standing between us and a real budget are Republican leaders,” Wolf said today during a regularly scheduled appearance on Pittsburgh radio station KDKA-AM. “There are many Republican members who don’t want to have Washington be imported into Harrisburg. They want us to get a real budget, they want us to pay our bills, and they want to invest in the things we have to invest in.”

On Friday, Republican leaders said for the first time that they would allow a floor vote on a budget package that includes an income or sales tax increase if Democrats can secure enough support to pass it.

Face-to-face talks between Wolf and top Republican lawmakers ended Monday afternoon without any breakthroughs but were expected to continue later today.