Pa. welfare official can’t put figure on savings

May 11, 2011|ASSOCIATED PRESS

HARRISBURG - Gov. Corbett's nominee to head the state Department of Public Welfare says he doesn't know whether he can find $470 million in savings in the agency, as House Republicans are proposing in their new budget plan.

Acting department secretary Gary Alexander told senators Wednesday during his confirmation hearing that saving money is a top priority.

But he says that rooting out what Republicans call fraud, waste and abuse is a delicate process and that the savings could be less than $470 million, or more.

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Also Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee is engaging in a lengthy and contentious debate over a House GOP counterproposal to Corbett's $27.3 billion spending plan.

Republicans are trying to amend it into an underlying budget bill. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

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