HARRISBURG - House lawmakers approved a $28.3 billion state budget bill shaped by the chamber's Republican majority Wednesday, but the debate over spending priorities in the next budget is by no means over.
The measure approved 108-92 on a party-line vote keeps the Legislature on course to approve a final budget by the June 30 passage deadline.
The House vote puts the ball in the Senate's court where that chamber's GOP majority has yet to unveil its own spending proposal. Meanwhile, Gov. Tom Corbett and legislative leaders continue to negotiate privately over budget items and other priority issues relating to transportation funding and state liquor store privatization.
The House GOP budget provides a 2.1 percent increase in state spending in fiscal 2013-14, and includes an additional $100 million for basic education and funds to hire 300 new state troopers and reduce waiting lists for mental disability services.
Dispute over the level of state education funding amid new layoffs of school employees in Philadelphia and Allentown dominated much of the floor debate.
Democratic lawmakers unsuccessfully offered a three-year program to restore $1 billion in education aid cuts during the past two years. The proposal would provide $333 million extra the first year.
The losses in education funding reflected the end of federal stimulus aid and school districts had been warned that the federal aid was not recurring, GOP lawmakers said.
"They (school districts) were warned," said Rep. Mario Scavello, R-176, Mount Pocono. "That (stimulus) money wasn't going to be there."
Rep. Sid Michaels Kavulich, D-114, Taylor, said the budget bill lacks compassion.
"How much compassion is there for the tens of thousands of teachers who have been fired because of the (education) cuts," he said. "How much compassion is there for the thousands of senior citizens forced from their homes because of the high property taxes caused by the cuts."
Education cuts have resulted in local property tax increases, teacher layoffs and larger class sizes, said Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-119, Newport Twp.
"It's (budget bill) clearly underfunding public education and human services," said Rep. Kevin Haggerty, D-112, Dunmore.
Republicans have provided school funding to offset the loss of the stimulus aid, but schools also benefit from thriving businesses that hire employees and pay taxes, said Rep. Paul Clymer, R-145, Perkasie, chairman of the House Education Committee.
"This budget is not in the best interests of the people," said Rep. Frank Farina, D-115, Jessup.
Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com