Budget missing, but Pennsylvania collects $2B-plus in taxes

Pennsylvania may not have a state budget, but tax revenues are pouring into the state treasury by the billions.

The Revenue Department reported Monday that the state collected $2.2 billion in July, the first month of the fiscal year. That’s about the same amount that was collected in July 2014.

The budget that was supposed to be in place by July 1 remains in limbo because of deep policy differences between Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the Republicans who control the Legislature.Although many essential services are largely unaffected, state payments to counties and nonprofit social-services providers are expected to be held up until a budget is approved.

The state ended the last fiscal year with a surplus of more than $400 million after more than $30 billion in spending.