Corbett Vetoes Budget Line Items

Today was the deadline for Governor Tom Corbett to make a decision about signing the state budget, or not. During a news conference in Harrisburg this morning he said he’s decided to use his power of line-item veto to cut out about $65 million in Legislative spending.

He said he made the move because of lawmakers’ failure to come up with a public pension reform plan. Corbett addressed Pennsylvania citizens during the news conference, encouraging them to tell their representatives in Harrisburg to stop bowing to unions and get pension reform done.

Top GOP senators say they are disappointed that Corbett has not been able to work effectively with the Republican majorities in the Senate and House to address important fiscal issues in the state.

Senators Joe Scarnati, Dominic Pileggi, Jake Corman and Pat Browne, in a joint statement, said, “Reforming public pension benefits is an important goal that Senate Republicans have been engaged in for months.”

The statement goes on to say that they unanimously passed a bill on June 30 that takes an important first step to move all elected officials out of a defined public pension plan.

They add that they are concerned about Corbett cutting or withholding money for items, including hospital programs for people with low incomes, job training programs and cultural programs.

The senators say the state budget process is not a game, and vital programs should never be placed in jeopardy.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947