In Letter to Leaders of General Assembly, Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Urges Immediate Completion of Unfinished Budget Business
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HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today released the text of his Oct. 29 letter to the leaders of the General Assembly regarding the urgent need for legislators to immediately complete unfinished budget business:
Dear Leaders:
It is with great disappointment that I write to you today. The lack of progress in finalizing and acting upon the remaining legislation to close the 2009-2010 budget is of great concern. Hospitals are awaiting payment. Students are threatened with higher tuition rates at state-related colleges and universities. Job creating economic development projects cannot begin. This is the situation until the remaining revenues are secured to balance the budget for this fiscal year and the next, as agreed to by all of you.
To learn that the House did not plan to return to session until November 9th was disconcerting. Yesterday, it got worse. I learned that the Senate would not be returning until the 16th of November. Adding insult to injury, I am told that the Legislative Reference Bureau is closed? I find this to be inexcusable and it simply cannot continue.
When I convened you as a group two weeks ago, we collectively agreed that our differences were few and that we could work together to negotiate a compromise in short order. Since then, Leaders have not met face to face, little progress has been made on core issues and legislative session schedules suggest a cavalier attitude toward final legislation.
Due to these concerns, I am urging both the House and Senate to engage in round the clock negotiations with the goal of having a bill on my desk by the close of session on November 9th. It is incumbent upon us all to set aside the differences and work in a responsible manner for the citizens of this Commonwealth.
The citizens of this Commonwealth endured a budget impasse that lasted 101 days. Until you act on the rest of the legislation necessary to balance and fund the budget, that impasse, in effect, remains. I have no interest in blaming, but I am beyond weary of standing by while legislative caucuses and chambers blame one another.
It is time to act.
Sincerely,
Edward G. Rendell, Governor
Media contact: Gary Tuma, Governor's Office, 717-783-1116
SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor
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