Wolf: I’ll Be Here This Summer, Fall And Winter To Get A State Budget

Gov. Wolf said Tuesday he did not expect a state budget to be enacted by July 1, saying he’ll be here this summer, fall and winter to get what he wants in the spending plan.

At the same time he said he thinks there is enough common ground with House and Senate leaders on issues like property tax reform, boosting education funding and promoting job growth to help pay the way for a deal by July 1.

But he also said liquor privatization is “not on the table” and he would veto any such legislation.  Liquor privatization has been a priority for House Republicans.

Absent from Wolf’s comments was any mention of pension reform, something Senate Republican Leadership has said needs to resolved first, before any discussions on the state budget.

House Majority Leader David Reed (R-Indiana) said Wednesday he thought Gov. Wolf’s assessment was premature saying it reflected the “neophyte status” of a Democratic Governor in his first term.

Reed also said House Republicans would outline a property tax reform plan that would increase the Sales Tax and Personal Income Tax to raise revenue for school property tax reductions, but the House plan would have a one-for-one reduction in property tax and any new tax revenue.

At the same time this general discussion was going on, John Hanger, Wolf’s Secretary of Policy, Wednesday delivered what sounded an awful lot like an ultimatum to the Board of the State System of Higher Education, saying they had better get behind Wolf’s idea of a tuition freeze before the Governor would support any increase in appropriations for state-owned universities.

In March Wolf proposed a $45 million increase in funding for the State System, but asked for a tuition freeze at the same time.

Thursday the State System Board voted 9 to 8, including the Governor’s representative, to freeze tuition if the additional funding is approved in the state budget.

Wolf is scheduled to have his first meeting next week with Senate and House leaders on the budget.

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