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Details On The Senate-Passed FY 2012-13 General Fund Budget

Senate Republicans released a General Fund spreadsheet this Tuesday showing the changes they made to the Governor's budget request. Overall Senate Republicans initial budget package totals $27.65 billion, more than the Governor's $27.14 billion.

The proposal restores about $500 million in funding cuts proposed by Gov. Corbett and make an additional $165 million in cuts of their own. As expected, the major areas of restoration include:

-- $245 million in funding for higher education-- $147 million for state-related universities, $83 million for state-owned universities, $15 million for PHEAA;

-- $50 million for cash-strapped school districts;

-- $14 million in early childhood education;

-- $168 million in mental health and retardation services;

-- $19 million to the Keystone Conservation Fund.
Budget Secretary Charles Zogby has already said the state cannot afford the Senate plan, noting mandated cost increases over the next two years will add more than $1 billion about projected revenue growth.

Here are the major changes from the Governor's FY 2012-13 budget request:

Department of Agriculture

-- No diversion of monies from the Horse Racing Fund

-- Agricultural Research - $787,000

-- Hardwoods Research & Promotion - $270,000

-- Conservation District Fund - No Change

-- Transfer to Nutrient Management Fund - No Change

-- Senate Republicans agreed to the Governor's proposal to use Cigarette Tax revenues to balance the state budget instead of funding agricultural land preservation and fill part of that gap with interest revenue in the Growing Greener II bond account.

Department of Community & Economic Development

-- Transfer to Commonwealth Financing Authority - $ 9 million additional

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

-- No changes from Governor's recommendations

-- Overall cut from FY 2011-12 levels by $2.5 million

Department of Environmental Protection

-- No changes from Governor's recommendations

-- Transfer to Conservation District Fund - same $2.8 million as Governor recommended

-- Overall cut from FY 2011-12 levels by $10.5 million

State System Of Higher Education

-- Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education and the McKeever Environmental Center were not restored

Senate