First priority for the next Pa. governor? A huge budget gap

    By
  • MARC LEVY, Associated Press
    • August 23, 2014
Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, left, and Democrat Tom Wolf shake hands at the end of a gubernatorial debate hosted by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Sept. 22 in Hershey. The tow will meet again Wednesday for the second of three planned debates.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, left, and Democrat Tom Wolf shake hands at the end of a gubernatorial debate hosted by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Sept. 22 in Hershey. The tow will meet again Wednesday for the second of three planned debates.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Job No. 1 for whoever wins this fall’s election for Pennsylvania governor likely will be trying to solve the state government’s messy fiscal situation.

Numerous budget analysts expect state government will be facing a $2 billion deficit next year, if not more.

For now, neither Republican Gov. Tom Corbett nor Democratic challenger Tom Wolf is embracing a broad-based tax increase.

Corbett says he’s been saddled with fixing mistakes he inherited and negotiating a sluggish national economy. Wolf puts the blame squarely on Corbett and says Corbett’s policies have led to this situation.

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Corbett says more spending cuts will be difficult. Wolf says he’ll seek to fill the gap partly by slapping higher taxes on the natural gas industry.

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