Pennsylvania Lawmakers Set To Approve Stop-Gap Budget

Howard Monroe reports.

SELF-SERVICE OPTIONS ARE NOTPERMITTED AND THERE CAN BE NOCONDIMENTS ON ANY TABLES.LAWMAKERS IN PENNSYLVANIAARE SET TO APPROVE A SELF-GAPBUDGET THAT WILL FUND THEGOVERNMENT FOR THE NEXT FIVEMONTHS.EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER HOWARDMONROE HAS A LOOK AT THE BUDGET.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.LAWMAKERS IN HARRISBURGTAKING EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TOKEEP GOVERNMENT RUNNING IN THEAFTERMATH OF STATE-WIDE STAY ATHOME 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.THE INDEPENDENT FISCAL OFFICEESTIMATES THE CORONAVIRUSCREATED A $5 BILLION SHORTFALLOVER THE NEXT TWO FISCAL 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.THE TEMPORARY BUDGET WOULD BEIN EFFECT UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH.SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL BE FUNDEDAT CURRENT LEVELS.ALSO, THERE ARE NO TAXINCREASES.AT SOME POINT IN TIME THEY'REGOING TO HAVE TO RAISE REVENUEEVEN THOUGH THEY'VE AVOIDEDDOING THAT FOR A NUMBER OFYEARS.GOVERNMENT CAN'T RUN WITHOUTREVENUE.SOME LAWMAKERS SAY THATDEBATE SHOULD BE HAPPENING NOWNOT 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.NOW, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THATTHIS PROCESS IS NOT COMPLETE ASOF YET.THE PENNSYLVANIA SENATE IS SETTO VOTE ON THIS MEASURE COMING