Democrats block funding to state-related colleges
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HARRISBURG -- The University of Pittsburgh was among the casualties of budget wrangling Monday night as Democratic lawmakers flexed what little muscle they have in a Capitol controlled by Republicans.
Rebelling against GOP budget cuts, House and Senate Democrats blocked funding to Pitt, Penn State University, Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school.
Democrats said they were upset that the measures were up for a vote before they had seen the general spending bill, and that they were unable to seek more funding for the schools. Republicans countered that it was obstructionist to deny funding to those universities, which traditionally receive some state support.
The votes against money for four of the state's most high-profile colleges overshadowed the much-anticipated release of details on the $27.15 billion state spending plan. That proposal, which reduces spending by 3 percent from the current year, passed a Senate panel along party lines and is expected to be voted in that chamber today.
Lawmakers have three days to send that spending bill and a handful of related measures to the governor's desk. The university funding bills could be among those if lawmakers work out their differences, but, following the vote, both sides pointed to each other as the problem.
"With this obstructionism, we very well may not see the state universities funded," said House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods.
What's more likely is that the schools would have to wait for funding, possibly until lawmakers return from summer break.
That scenario occurred at least twice before. In 1977, universities had to pay $1.4 million in interest on loans they took to make ends meet until December, when the Legislature eventually approved a $300 million appropriation. And when 2009 budget negotiations dragged on, schools threatened to issue supplemental tuition bills.
First Published June 28, 2011 12:00 am
