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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Wolf administration and top lawmakers are expected to resume talking as Pennsylvania state government starts its new fiscal year with limited spending authority because the sides didn’t reach agreement on budget legislation.
Monday’s talks were expected to be staff level. Last week, Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed Republican-backed budget legislation and a bill to privatize the state-controlled system of liquor and wine sales. He’s also expected to veto a Republican plan to squeeze savings from public employee pension systems.
Leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature went ahead with the bills after talks with the Wolf administration stalled last month. Every Democratic lawmaker opposed them.
While state employees may be paid, the Wolf administration no longer has the authority to pay many vendors, including counties and non-profit organizations that help administer the state’s social-services safety net.