Pa. Senate plans to pass more budget bills, leave Capitol
The Pennsylvania Senate’s Republican leaders say they’re going to send more budget-related bills to the House and then leave Harrisburg — with plans to return within six hours if needed.
President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and Majority Leader Jake Corman didn’t report any concrete progress during a Thursday morning meeting with House Republican majority leaders over how to end a 5-month-old budget stalemate.
But Scarnati said the tenor of their discussions is good as they try to resolve their differences.
Scarnati said the Senate doesn’t have immediate plans to pass a $1.2 billion tax increase that senators say will accompany their $30.8 billion spending plan.
House Republicans want a lower spending amount and a smaller tax increase. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf says he’s backing the Senate’s plan and insists House Republican leaders had agreed to it.
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