Pennsylvania’s 2016-17 budget lacks funding. Lawmakers are meeting today to discuss how revenue will be generated in order to pay for the $31 billion spending plan.
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced yesterday, the bipartisan, compromise 2016-17 budget will become law, in spite of not having determined how it will be paid.
He said in a press conference at the State Capitol on Sunday:
“If a revenue package were already on my desk, I would have been proud to sign it,” Wolf said. “If a revenue package is passed before midnight on Monday, I will be equally as proud to sign it then. But if the General Assembly fails to pass a responsible revenue package by tomorrow evening, this bill will become law without my signature.
“This budget makes historic investments in education that will bring us closer to restoring the cuts of the past and invests vital money to fight the opioid crisis that has struck Pennsylvania. As has been said by Republicans and Democrats alike, this is a budget Pennsylvania can be proud of, and it puts us back on a path to fiscal responsibility and a sustainable future.”
Currently, there is an estimated $1.3 billion gap between expenditures and revenue.
How do you think PA lawmakers should pay for the 2016-17 budget?
