Gov. Ed Rendell and several GOP lawmakers traded statistics in Beaver County yesterday as both sought to build public support for their versions of an overdue state budget.

About 40 people, including three Republican members of the state House, showed up at Rochester High School to hear the governor argue that an increase in the state income tax was the fairest way to finance rising local education costs.

Mr. Rendell also reiterated that state-related universities, like the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State, should not expect to share in federal stimulus money.

Penn State President Graham Spanier warned Friday that the combination of a proposed cut in the university's state subsidy and the withholding of stimulus money would translate into a nearly 10 percent tuition increase for in-state main campus students. Penn State trustees authorized a 9.8 percent tuition hike if the state Legislature retains the governor's proposed 13 percent cut in state funding.

Increasing the state income tax from 3.07 percent to 3.50 percent was the fairest way to balance the state budget and still provide adequate funding for local school districts, Mr. Rendell said yesterday. Otherwise, districts will be forced to raise property taxes to balance their own budgets, he warned.

Republican state Reps. Mike Turzai of Bradford Woods, Jim Marshall of Big Beaver, and Jim Christiana of Beaver listened to the governor's speech but were not persuaded.

They are among GOP House members who support a $27.3 billion budget they say would raise basic and special education funding by an average of 11 percent. Beaver County schools would see a more than 6 percent average increase, Mr. Marshall said.

The GOP plan would not require an income tax increase but would cut discretionary spending, lease state land to companies for oil extraction and offer one-time amnesty to tax evaders who pay up.

State law requires that a budget be in place by July 1, but Mr. Rendell and the Legislature have been unable to agree on a spending plan as state revenues have fallen by more than $3 billion.

Mr. Rendell made similar pitches for his version of the budget at Hickory High School in Hermitage and Fort Cherry High School in McDonald.