Pennsylvania Lawmakers Set To Approve Temporary $25 Billion Budget To Fund Government For Next 5 Months

Howard Monroe reports.

HOPE TO MAKE THEIR CASE.IN WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, CLEVEBRYAN, CBS3 EYE-WITNESS NEWS.ALL RIGHT CLEVE, THANKS.LAWMAKERS IN PENNSYLVANIAARE SET TO APPROVE A STOP-GAPBUDGET.IT WILL FUND THE GOVERNMENT FORTHE NEXT FIVE MONTHS.EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER HOWARDMONROE IS IN CENTER CITY WITH ALOOK AT THE BUDGET.HI HOWARD.Reporter: HOW ARE YOUJESSICA?

YOU KNOW, THISINITIATIVE WILL FUND THEGOVERNMENT AT CURRENT LEVELSWHILE LAWMAKERS ASSESS THEDAMAGE CORONAVIRUS HAS HAD ONTHE STATE BUDGET.THIS SORT OF BUDGET HAS NEVERHAPPENED BEFORE.I THINK IT'S PROBABLY THESENSIBLE THING TO DO, THE WISETHING TO DO.IT'S UNPRECEDENTED, BUT AT THESAME TIME WE'RE IN ANUNPRECEDENTED ENVIRONMENT.Reporter: LAWMAKERS INHARRISBURG TAKING EXTRAORDINARYMEASURES TO KEEP GOVERNMENTRUNNING.THIS IS IN THE AFTERMATH OFSTATE-WIDE STAY AT HOME ORDERS.WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDSWASHINGTON, DC TO FIND OUT WHATTHEY INTEND TO PROVIDE TO STATEAND MUNICIPALITIES AND SCHOOLDISTRICTS IN DIRECT ASSISTANCETO HELP FILL THESE BUDGET HOLES.Reporter: THE INDEPENDENTFISCAL OFFICE ESTIMATES THECORONAVIRUS CREATED A $5 BILLIONSHORTFALL OVER THE NEXT TWOFISCAL YEARS.THE TEMPORARY $25.8 BILLIONPACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE NEWTAXES AND MAINTAINS CURRENTSPENDING LEVELS.THE BILL PASSED THE PENNSYLVANIAHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN AVOTE OF 103-99 ON TUESDAY.YOU CAN'T GIVE THIS BUDGET ANA OR AN F.IT GETS AN INCOMPLETE.Reporter: THE TEMPORARYBUDGET WOULD BE IN EFFECT UNTILNOVEMBER 30TH.SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD BE FUNDEDAT CURRENT LEVELS.ALSO, THERE ARE NO TAXINCREASES.AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE'REGOING TO HAVE TO RAISE REVENUEEVEN THOUGH THEY'VE AVOIDEDDOING THAT FOR A NUMBER OFYEARS.GOVERNMENT CAN'T RUN WITHOUTREVENUE.Reporter: SOME LAWMAKERS SAYTHAT DEBATE SHOULD BE HAPPENINGNOW NOT AFTER THE NOVEMBERELECTIONS.LOOKING TO PUSH THIS UNTILAFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONREALLY JUST KICKS THE CAN DOWNTHE ROAD WHEN WE KNOW THAT WEHAVE A FISCAL CLIFF COMING.WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A BUDGETDEFICIT THAT WE SHOULD BEADDRESSING IN THE BEST MANNERPOSSIBLE RIGHT NOW.Reporter: NOW, THE GOVERNORSAYS THAT THIS PROCESS IS NOTCOMPLETE AS OF YET.THE PENNSYLVANIA SENATE IS SETTO VOTE ON THIS MEASURE COMING