The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Wednesday Senate Republican and Democratic Leadership filed a lawsuit on election day against Gov. Corbett for his veto of provisions in the Fiscal Code bill in July which, among other items, vetoed $5 million in Senate and House funding for Harrisburg Parking expenses.
The major environmental line items vetoed by the Governor include--
-- $500,000 in DCNR’s budget for Washington Crossing Historical Park;
-- $150,000 for independent research of natural gas drilling; and
-- Specific amounts in specific counties for sewage facilities planning, system operations.
Click Here for a copy of the item veto message listing those items from the Fiscal Code bill.
In a separate action in the main budget bill, Gov. Corbett vetoed $65 million in direct funding for all four Caucuses of the General Assembly and $7.2 million in legislatively designated spending.
At the time, Gov. Corbett said, “As they did in the last three budgets, agencies sharpened their pencils, set priorities, and spent what they had – not what they wished they had. We made tough decisions so that funding for critical programs and services that benefit the people of Pennsylvania would go unharmed. It is what I promised the people of Pennsylvania I would do, and, frankly, it is what they expect and deserve from their state government.
“The same, however, cannot be said for the General Assembly,” he noted.
The lawsuit, a copy of which is included with the Post-Gazette article, said Gov. Corbett does not have the authority to veto individual items in the Fiscal Code bill since it does not represent an appropriation line item.
As a result, the lawsuit says, the Governor violated the separation of executive and legislative power.
NewsClip: PA Senate Leaders Sue Corbett Over Funding Veto
