August 9 PA Environment Digest Now Available

August 9 PA Environment Digest now available. Click here to print this Digest.

Rendell, Legislators Have To Cut $250-260 Million, Not $850 Million, From State Budget

Gov. Rendell and legislative leaders will now "only" have to cut $250-260 million from the state budget, rather than the $850 million they were expecting when the U.S. Senate passed supplemental Medicaid funding this week.
"It's a tremendous relief. I'm extremely gratified that the Senate voted to invoke cloture on the bill that would extend the stimulus money for Medicaid," said Gov. Rendell. "While it is not 100 percent of the original appropriation, it would extend about 70 percent of the funding - and that is crucial for our Commonwealth."
Before the vote in Washington, Gov. Rendell said the $250 million in extra funding provided for basic education in the state might have to be sacrificed to fill the budget gap. After, the vote it was a much different tune. Click here to read more...