The Pennsylvania Senate yesterday approved legislation that would whack more than $1 billion off Gov. Rendell's proposed budget, reject tax increases, and impose cuts across a wide swath of education, health care, and social services programs.

The $27.3 billion plan - which passed the Republican-controlled chamber on a 30-20 party-line vote - is nearly 6 percent less than that proposed by Rendell in February and would use $2.7 billion in federal stimulus funds to help compensate for some of the cuts. The bill now goes to the Democrat-controlled state House, where it faces near-certain defeat. The deadline for passing the budget is July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.

Leaders in the Senate said during the four-hour debate that in the face of a projected $3 billion budget deficit this year, the reductions were necessary to balance next year's budget and prevent tax increases.

"Circumstances call for a budget like this," said Sen. Jake Corman (R., Centre), chairman of the Appropriations Committee. "This budget is a reflection of what we have to spend."

Read more.