Some State Agencies Have Yet To Trim Spending This Year

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell says he’s still waiting to hear from three independent agencies, on whether or not they’ll trim about two percent from their operating costs.
Rendell says the Office of the Attorney General, Treasurer’s Office, PHEAA and three other agencies have agreed to cut 1.9 percent from their budgets, in order to fill a deficit caused by less-than-expected federal funding.
But the governor says the Auditor General, court system and legislature have yet to commit to the cuts.
During a recent press conference, Auditor General Jack Wagner chafed at the request, pointing out his department spends less than it did when he took office.

"And if that were the case for state government today, it wouldn’t be a 28 billion dollar budget – it would be a 23 billion dollar budget or 24 billion dollar budget."

Rendell dismisses Wagner’s argument.

"That’s like saying, geez, I spent all yesterday bailing out the boat. Boat’s still sinking, but I shouldn’t bail out anymore. Because I bailed out all yesterday."

Rendell says the six agencies’ cuts will save a bit more than 11 million dollars. But he says the Auditor General, legislature and judiciary could double that amount by trimming their budgets, too.