Pa. Legislature finally approves budget, moves state closer to ending longest stalemate in US

Pa. close to ending longest budget stalemate in US

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Senate approved a $27.8 billion spending bill, moving the state closer to ending the nation’s longest budget stalemate.

The Senate voted 42-7 to approve the bill Friday. The House had approved it Wednesday.

The Senate also signed off on a companion bill to tap more than $1.5 billion from the state’s reserves.

Gov. Ed Rendell has said he would sign the budget, but it’s unclear if he will do so before the House passes the companion bill.

Pennsylvania’s budget stalemate has lasted 101 days. The appropriations bill cuts spending by more than 1 percent, but boosts money for public school instruction.