No Progress in Weekend Budget Meetings

State budget talks held behind closed doors over the weekend yielded no more progress than last week’s fruitless negotiations by a six-member legislative conference committee.
The session yesterday at the governor’s official residence between Governor Rendell and legislative leaders ended after two hours and with all sides expressing frustration.
Democrats presented Republicans with what Senate Republican Leader Dominic Pileggi describes as a 13-page “must-have list” of spending items. He says the proposals would necessitate $1.6 billion in new taxes.
A spokeswoman for House Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans says the document is better described as a list of potential approaches.
The lack of weekend progress sets the stage for a vote early this week by the Democratic-controlled House on Senate Bill 850. That’s the Senate G-O-P-backed budget bill that Governor Rendell has said he will sign after “blue lining,” or striking out, all line items except for those necessary for core government functions and to pay state employees.