Why+Did+Any+Democrats+Vote+for+GOP+Budget?

= = =The Pennsylvania legislature voted in June to approve a state budget that institutionalizes almost $1 billion in unnecessary cuts to public education for 2012-13. Almost across the board, Republicans championed the spending plan and Democrats criticized it. However, while most Democrats voted against the budget, a handful voted in favor of it along with the Republicans. Why?=

=The House passed the budget by a 120-81 vote. All Republicans voted for the measure, but this also includes 12 Democrats.=

=By a 32-17 vote, the state Senate ratified changes in the budget made by the House, and sent the finished bill to Gov. Tom Corbett. A handful of Democrats voted for it here, too.= = =

=Since Democrats were across the board critical of this budget, why did any of them vote for it?= = =

=Answers need to be sought on a case-by-case basis, but this much is certain. The budget approved by the legislature includes $100 million more to education than Gov. Corbett wanted. It also included an additional $50 million for financially distressed school districts such as Steel Valley and Sto-rox. It is doubtful these measures could have been achieved without at least a token of Democratic votes - especially Democrats from areas most benefited by these restorations.= = =

=The sad fact is that the Corbett administration is not going to return the almost $1 billion it stole from our public schools - at least not while Republicans remain in control of both the house and senate as well as the governor's mansion. Nothing the Democrats can do will change that. At best, they can reduce the cuts; not stop them.= = =

=Only sweeping change at the polls can stop Gov. Corbett and his Republican administration from continuing to cheat our children out of a fair education.= = =

=Only you can solve this problem.= = =

=Please remember this in November and save our schools!=

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=[|SEE HOW THE HOUSE VOTED]= =[|SEE HOW THE SENATE VOTED]= =News= =home=