Could PA Be In For A Budget Backlash?

Thousands of protestors are storming Wisconsin’s state Capitol in response to a budget proposal. That plan put forward by Wisconsin’s governor has literally sent the state’s Senate Democrats into hiding, in an attempt to block a vote on the measure from taking place.

Republican Scott Walker wants to increase public employees’ pension and health care costs, and take away most of their collective bargaining rights.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale says he’s worried the plan is part of a national trend from Republican leaders.

"There seems to be this extremist group that’s decided that workers are the problem. Not Wall Street, not all the folks who ran our economy into the ground. That workers are the problem. That somehow we’ve caused all these issues because, you know, we make a decent wage. "

But Bloomingdale says he’d be surprised if Corbett makes a similar proposal in his March 8 budget address.
However, House Republican spokesman Steve Miskin says several GOP lawmakers are taking a serious look at Walker’s idea.

"As Pennsylvanians are worried about whether or not they’re keeping their jobs, whether they’re going to not get an increase in pay but they’re getting decreases in cut and benefits. The public sector unions have continued at taxpayer expense to get increases."

Corbett’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment, and Senate Republican spokesman Erik Arneson says he’s “not aware of any discussions” of a similar proposal in Pennsylvania.
Walker is trying to close a three billion-dollar budget gap.
Pennsylvania’s is expected to be at least a billion dollars more expensive.