Budget plan failed to meet needs

Before leaving Harrisburg for the winter holiday, Republicans in the legislature failed to finish their work on the budget. They passed a spending plan that ballooned the deficit and cut education funding by $95 million.

This legislation failed to fund Pennsylvania’s institutions of higher learning — including Pitt, Penn State, Temple, Lincoln and the Penn Vet school.

The legislature did not pass a fiscal code or a school code.

Most importantly, lawmakers did not fund our schools or fix our deficit.

This left Gov. Tom Wolf with no choice but to use his line-item veto power on the Republican budget.

That budget is unacceptable. The legislature needs to come back and immediately pass the bipartisan, pro-education compromise budget that is ready for a final vote in the House.

Passing the compromise budget now will provide the early childhood, special education, basic education and higher education investment that our children and Pennsylvania need for a better and sustainable future.

Megan Healey is deputy press secretary for Gov. Tom Wolf.

This story was originally published January 1, 2016 at 7:40 PM.