It's Budget Address day in Harrisburg, the second most important day on the legislative calendar. The most being the day the budget is signed into law, which is typically about five months from now, just before the end of the state's fiscal year.
For a state legislator, even for a member of Congress, the one job they are required to do year in and year out is pass a budget that keeps the state operating for another year. This, of course, entails quite a bit; determining what gets funded, what gets cut, and where to find the revenues (to tax or not to tax, that is always the question).
Regardless of what budget Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett presents to the General Assembly today, the real work gets done in the following months. Passing the budget could be hard fought, which was often the case under former Gov. Ed Rendell, or smooth as butter, which seldom occurs.
Whatever other legislation governors like to chase, a budget most reflects the priorities and politics of a governor. Conservatives like to slash and cut programs; liberals like to spend and raise revenues.
Moderates, regardless of party affiliation, like to do both.
Governors of moderate political temperament know that the best budgets, that is budgets legislators can agree to without too much arguing and that get the most favorable of public responses, are much like a good bowl of porridge; not too hot and not too cold, though never just right.
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