Talks but no progress for Wolf, GOP

HARRISBURG - Negotiations resumed Monday between the Wolf administration and the Republican-controlled legislature as they continue to grapple toward a compromise on a new state budget.

Gov. Wolf met with the majority leaders of the House and Senate, and members of their staffs met later in the day. But the sides still appear far from a deal, with Wolf publicly insisting that any final spending plan include a significant funding boost for public schools and property tax relief for homeowners.

Republicans have countered that they have delivered such a plan and that Wolf vetoed it. The governor last week struck down a GOP-backed blueprint that would not have increased taxes and would have increased public education dollars, although not near the levels Wolf has proposed.

Top Republicans on Monday sent a sharply worded letter to Wolf, contending that his veto "puts politics above governing." The governor responded by calling it "reprehensible" that the GOP had not agreed to impose a new tax on natural gas drillers, new money the governor wants to use for public schools.

The missed Wednesday deadline means the state is operating without a budget to guide spending, which will soon curtail some of its ability to spend money and pay bills.

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