(July 2) Budget stalled, Senate goes home, House wrangles on pension changes

HARRISBURG – The Senate went home. The governor was largely silent.

And as the first day of a new fiscal year without a state budget neared an end, House members met behind closed doors for hours on Tuesday, trying to find consensus on changes to the pension system – but refusing to move on a proposed a cigarette tax that could fund Philadelphia schools.

Almost a day after legislators handed him a $29.1 billion budget on time and with no tax increases, Gov. Corbett still had not signed it, or signaled if or when he would. His spokesman, Jay Pagni, said the governor was reviewing the plan.

Corbett’s last public statement had been near midnight Monday, when the governor said he would not sign the budget without “meaningful” action aimed at reining in the cost of public employee pensions.