7/11/17

For the second straight year, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf let a state budget bill become law despite the fact that it is badly out of balance as he presses Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled Legislature to approve a tax package big enough to avoid a credit downgrade. 

Wolf's office released his decision in a statement Monday, hours before the nearly $32 billion spending bill was to become law without his signature at midnight. In the 10 days after lawmakers sent it to his desk, Wolf had the power sign it into law, veto it or strike out some of the spending. 

Monday was the 10th day of a budget stalemate between Wolf and the House and Senate Republican majorities. There was no sign of an agreement on an approximately $2.2 billion revenue package that lawmakers say is necessary to resolve the state's largest shortfall since the recession and a projected deficit in the fiscal year that began July 1.

 The package will rely primarily on borrowing and involves another big expansion of casino gambling in the nation's No. 2 commercial casino state.