HARRISBURG - Gov. Tom Corbett will unveil his 2013-14 spending plan today, making his best case to the public on what should be the state's priorities for the fiscal year.
But a debate that erupted Monday about how Mr. Corbett should handle a federally funded expansion of Medicaid showed how the unveiling of a budget can become a multiday political event.
The governor received conflicting advice from House Republican members and Democratic senators about how to handle the Medicaid expansion, a decision facing all the nation's governors as the 2010 federal health care law is implemented. Under that law, Washington would pick up most of the costs of providing health insurance for hundreds of thousands of additional low-income Pennsylvanians starting next year.
Several GOP lawmakers held a Capitol news conference urging Mr. Corbett to reject the offer on the grounds it would hurt patients, doctors and taxpayers.
"A massive expansion of Medicaid will cause taxes to skyrocket, force people to compete for appointments with fewer doctors and the state having to slash reimbursement rates," said House Majority Whip Stan Saylor, R-94, Red Lion.
Democratic senators suggested accepting the Medicaid offer would boost the state's economy and free up nearly $700 million in state spending for other purposes.
"This is the biggest thing he (Corbett) can do immediately," said Senate Democratic Appropriations Chairman Vincent Hughes, D-7, Philadelphia.
The governor was still trying to obtain more information about Medicaid expansion from Washington as of Monday, said Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-9, Chester.
"The communication between the federal government and state government (on this matter) is not good," he said.
Like many of his predecessors, Mr. Corbett has stretched the budget day hoopla by offering previews of a few of his spending proposals. He has announced plans to hire more state police cadets and unveiled a plan to use liquor privatization proceeds to fund a new education block grant for school districts.
Meanwhile, a House committee sought a share of the action. On Monday, the State Government Committee approved a bill to require all state agencies to submit budgets based on how they meet their goals and objectives. The vote was strategically timed for the eve of the budget address, said panel chairman Daryl Metcalfe, R-12, Cranberry Twp.
Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com