HARRISBURG - Once again, a coalition of faith-based groups is holding its vigil at the Capitol before the governor's annual budget address.
That is because once again, as Gov. Corbett prepares to deliver his second budget Tuesday, the ink is red and the talk is of cuts.
"We want to remind the governor that a lot of people are struggling out here," said vigil organizer Stephen Drachler, executive director of United Methodist Advocacy in Pennsylvania.
There is also talk of a meeting of minds, at last, on proposals to impose a fee on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale - though everyone in the Capitol has heard such talk before.
Last year, declining revenue, loss of federal stimulus money, and higher employee health and pension costs brought sweeping cuts in state aid for education and social services. This year, with revenue projections dipping again - this month $500 million below estimates - a new round of cuts is expected.
School officials are holding out hope, at least, that the ax falls elsewhere this time.
Kirsten Page, a spokeswoman for Corbett, said his office would have no comment before Tuesday. But one thing is nearly certain: Corbett will stick to his campaign pledge to not raise any taxes.
Last year, he kept that pledge when he and the Republican-led legislature delivered the budget on time, with no new taxes, and with a total spending figure of $27.1 billion that was below the prior year's number.
It came with costs - namely, eliminating nearly $1 billion from aid to public schools and helping set in motion layoffs, program cuts, and local tax increases by school districts.
The expectation of cuts has ramped up pressure to finally enact an "impact fee" on natural gas drillers, a subject likely to take a prominent place in Corbett's address.
After a year of debate, the legislature and the governor are on the verge of agreeing on a fee proposal, said Drew Crompton, spokesman for Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson). He did not provide details on the amount or how and where the proceeds would be distributed.
"There is not a deal yet, but I think there is a framework in place, where we have struck a balance," said Crompton, adding that legislative staffers and members of the Corbett administration planned to meet through the weekend with hopes of announcing a deal early this week.
