The Associated Press reported Friday House Republicans plan to hold votes on Tuesday to override Gov. Wolf veto of the Republican budget passed in June one section at a time.

Republicans would need 17 Democratic votes to be successful on any veto overrides.

Democrats have said the piecemeal votes to override the Governor’s veto are unconstitutional and a Duquesne University law professor agrees.

Capitolwire.com Friday reported: “Wasting more time with another round of unconstitutional stunts on the floor of the House, and trying to pick winners and losers, is not going to make human service providers and their vulnerable clients whole,” said House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny), in a statement reacting to the House GOP plan. “It’s time to negotiate an honest budget that restores the devastating cuts Republicans made in the past and provides predictable and sustainable funding to meet Pennsylvania’s critical needs.”

The Wolf Administration is of the same opinion.

“It’s time for the gimmicks and games to stop,” said Wolf spokesman Jeff Sheridan about the potential line-item veto overrides. “While Gov. Wolf takes a serious look at their proposal, the Republicans are trying to undercut any progress by continuing to play games like this when they know their override threats are unconstitutional, as clearly laid out under Article IV, Section 15 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

“These continued stunts by Republicans are doing a disservice to the people of Pennsylvania. We need them to get serious for once,” Sheridan added.

The House is only scheduled to be in voting session on Tuesday next week and does not return to full voting session, when the Senate does, until September 21.

Earlier In The Week

Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday announced his support for an appropriation to be included in a final budget to reimburse school districts and small nonprofits for the interest payments incurred on loans as a result of the budget impasse, but not much else happened this week.

Sure, the Republicans presented Gov. Wolf with a “take it or leave it” proposal on education funding and pensions, but those were immediately panned by the state’s largest teachers union and apparently didn’t get traction with Democratic lawmakers.

Besides that, not much progress.

On the issue of interest payment reimbursements, the Commonwealth already provides reimbursement to qualified small businesses for interest when the Commonwealth does not pay an invoice for 45 days. The governor supports this being extended to school districts, similar to the reimbursement provided in the 2003 budget, and to small nonprofits.

“I understand the situation that school districts and human services agencies are experiencing as a result of the budget impasse, and that’s why I am proposing that any final budget include an appropriation to reimburse districts and small nonprofits for the interest payments incurred on loans as a result of the impasse,” said Gov. Wolf. “I am fighting to reach a final agreement on a comprehensive budget that restores funding for schools and human services agencies and I know the challenges that each have faced as a result of drastic cuts to funding over the past four years. That’s why my budget is a hugely important step in restoring these state funds.”

Under the governor’s proposal, a small nonprofit must be an independently owned and operated entity that employs 100 or fewer employees and cannot be a subsidiary or affiliate of either of a corporation or of a nonprofit that employs more than 100 people.

The small nonprofit organization must have a contract or grant either directly with the Commonwealth or with a county program that receives and passes through state grant funds to the non-profit (ex: a mental health program under contract with a grant to a county) and the state program funding must provide more than 50 percent of the nonprofit’s annual operating revenues.

NewsClips:

House GOP Plans Veto Override Votes On Parts Of Budget

House Republicans Look To Override Parts Of Wolf Budget

Feds Show PA Drilling Revenues Sharply Lower Than Other States

Wolf Not Fazed By GOP’s Take It Or Leave It Offer

Wolf Weighs $400M School Funding Offer From GOP

Republicans Offer Wolf Education, Pension Proposals

GOP Pension Deal Met With Chilly Reception By Some Dems

Corman Reports No Progress, Wolf: GOP Doesn’t Want Compromise

Video: Wolf Talks Pensions, Education, Latest Budget Meeting

Lawmakers See Own Funds Dwindle In Budget Fight

United Way Survey Shows Budget Stalemate Impact On Nonprofits

Wolf Wants Nonprofit Costs Covered

8/24/2015