Support for Wolf’s Hostage-Taking Is Breaking

Last week, Gov. Wolf indicated he plans to fully veto yet another budget. He said if schools face a “short term shutdown,” that could be “a good thing.” 

Now, he’s realizing he's alone on that island.

Yesterday, Wolf said he will take a little more time “to further review the spending plan to make sure ‘it is as out of balance as I’ve been saying it is.’” That is, Gov. Wolf is not sure his rhetoric and internet memes are actually true. (For more on how this budget balances, check out my interview with Fox 43.)

More importantly, he’s getting a lot of pressure from House and Senate Democrats to back off and sign all or most of the budget (using a line item veto) to keep schools open. Likewise, school officials from across the state are calling on Wolf to end this gamesmanship.

If he insists on a veto, there may even be enough legislative support to override it, said Washington County Democrat Rep. Pete Daley.

It’s time to move this thing forward … I’m almost positive that if he vetoes it, we have enough Democrats to override his veto.

On the Senate side, Senator John Yudichak, a Luzerne County Democrat who voted against the budget last week, told the Times-Leader if Wolf vetoes the bill, he will vote to override.

As I pointed out last week, Wolf has little to gain with a budget veto, and support for his radical agenda is cracking.

It’s time for Wolf to stop holding students hostage to his demand for higher taxes.