State House GOP pushes own budget plan to end stalemate

By MARK SCOLFORO
Associated Press

HARRISBURG July 10, 2009 12:57 pm

— Republicans in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are offering their own spending plan in a bid to resolve the state’s budget stalemate.
Republicans outlined a $27.3 billion proposal today that would expand gas drilling on state land, provide amnesty to tax scofflaws and achieve balance without new taxes.
They’d make bottom-line cuts to many state agencies, dip into the rainy day contingency fund, draw from an account to pay doctors’ malpractice premiums and eliminate so-called “walking around money” grants that are doled out at lawmakers’ discretion.
Pennsylvania ended its fiscal year June 30 with a revenue shortfall of nearly $3.3 billion.
Gov. Ed Rendell and his Democratic allies in the Legislature are calling for a mixture of cuts and tax increases.