Conference Committee Haggles Over Welfare Funding

On a day when Pennsylvania became the last state in the country without a passed budget, the joint conference committee charged with reaching an agreement sat down for another round of talks.
Connecticut and Arizona still don’t have budgets either, but both states’ governors have spending plans on their desks, awaiting signatures. Hours after Nutmeg State lawmakers approved a budget, Pennsylvania’s conference committee met for the first time in a month.
The tone was much more civil than July’s bickering. Leaders from both parties questioned the others’ spending plans.
House Minority Leader Sam Smith took issue after the Democrats claimed they had cut a billion dollars from their last proposal.

"When you say that you cut a billion dollars, in reality that’s not money that was ever on the table. It wasn’t like it was in the budget and you cut it. It was a reduced amount of proposed spending that you don’t really have to begin with."

Republicans are sticking to a 27.5 billion dollar plan, while Democrats are now pushing a 28.14 billion dollar budget. GOP lawmakers referenced a recent audit of the Department of Public Welfare several times, arguing DPW needs to clean up wasteful spending before they agree to increase its budget. Democrat Jay Costa, the Senate Appropriations Committee’s minority chair, agreed excess spending needs to be targeted, but says Republicans were making an unfair argument.

"Let’s recognize, though, that DPW’s (Department of Public Welfare) numbers are historically, year in and year out, the largest cost drivers that we deal with here in the commonwealth. To suggest that this year is any different than previous years I don’t think is appropriate."

The session lasted just over two hours. Committee members agreed to adjourn so staffers could prepare spreadsheets comparing the two plans. They’re not expected to meet again this week.