by KYW's Tony Romeo
The stimulus package passed Tuesday by the US Senate reduces the amount of money designated for the states. But Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell says that’s okay -- he just wants quick action.
Governor Rendell says the Senate stimulus bill will eliminate money he was counting on to help balance the state’s next two budgets:
“There’d be significant cuts to our five state-related educational institutions -- well over $100 million in additional cuts. There’d be significant cuts to all other non-preferred educational and health institutions. There’d be over $50 million in cuts to nursing homes, $20 million in cuts to hospitals.”
The governor (in file photo above) says he’d have to reduce the state education subsidy by $70 million, and that there would be at least 1,500 state worker layoffs on top of those already anticipated.
But despite all that, Rendell says, he’s happy that the bill is moving forward, saying the most important thing is quick action to stimulate the economy.