HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania House Republicans plan to hold votes next week to override the Democratic governor’s budget bill veto, one piece at a time, and local representatives are on board with the plan. House Majority Leader Dave Reed wrote to members of his caucus Friday morning to outline the plan. It involves calling up elements of the budget bill that would authorize certain funds at the same or a similar level to what Gov. Tom Wolf supports.
State representatives Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-108th, Sunbury) and Fred Keller (R-85th, Kreamer) issued a joint statement on the plan. They said, ” It is unfortunate that Governor Wolf vetoed the no tax increase budget passed by the legislature on June 30th. A budget that would have increased State General Fund spending on the Commonwealth’s priorities by 3.6% over Fiscal Year 2014-15. The Governor Tom Wolf Government Shutdown is beginning to negatively impact many Pennsylvanians. It is our objective, as it was when we passed the original budget on time, to explore all legislative options that will allow State Government to continue operating and delivering services for which the Commonwealth is responsible.”
Republicans will hold a 119-to-84 majority after five newly elected members are sworn in. That means they’ll need at least 17 Democrats for the two-thirds majority required. House Democratic leader Frank Dermody predicts they’ll get few or no votes from his members. Democrats call the plan unconstitutional and a Duquesne University law professor who teaches a course on the state constitution agrees.