Carved+in+stone+-+The+governor+spurns+the+public+by+refusing+to+yield

=//Published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette//= =//6/22/11//= = = = = = = =The pressure is on to enact a new state budget by July 1, and with Republicans controlling the House, the Senate and the Governor's Office, there's a good chance of that happening.= =But we think Gov. Tom Corbett should chill.= =In Lancaster Monday he said two things in public that showed an inflexibility toward budget differences with lawmakers, including some from his own party, and a deafness to concerns expressed by many Pennsylvanians.= =One involves the final size of the budget, which Mr. Corbett insisted must be no more than $27.3 billion, the figure he proposed back in March and a total that is 3 percent less than this year's. Three months ago the state did not appear headed for a half-billion-dollar surplus, which nevertheless it has accumulated as of the end of May.= =That surplus logically argues for easing up on Mr. Corbett's deep spending cuts, which will hit education and medical programs particularly hard. But a week before the budget deadline, the governor is not governing based on current fiscal reality, but on inaccurate financial projections that are months old.= =The other quasi-ultimatum issued by Mr. Corbett was for the Legislature to put off action on a new gas drilling fee until his Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission reports in July. Last time we checked, the commission didn't have a vote on the state budget, so if the governor wants a 2011-12 spending plan on time, he should let the Legislature settle the question of an impact fee, which is widely favored by the public, along with the rest of the budget package.= =While spending cuts were inevitable for the state to avoid a multi-billion-dollar deficit, Mr. Corbett's insistence on sticking to his magic budget number, despite a $506 million windfall, and shielding the drilling industry from an impact fee does not bode well for the state. For such obstinacy in high office, Pennsylvanians will surely suffer.= =Read more: [] = = = =News= =home=