HARRISBURG – The PA budget stalemate continues after the PA House rejected the Senate’s budget and mass transit proposals. Sen. Scott Martin of Lancaster & Berks Counties, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, says the negotiations will continue. The PA Senate spending plan was at $47.6 billion, while Democrats passed a plan spending $50.6 billion. Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro was pushing for a $51.5 billion spending plan. Democrats in the PA House rejected a Senate budget plan passed this week. Martin said the state can not print or borrow money and now is not the time to raise taxes on citizens. He added that having a divided state government makes budget negotiations more difficult. With Democrats wanting to “fully fund” things in the budget, Martin says Pennsylvanians need to keep watch over their wallets for more money from them.
SEN. SCOTT MARTIN