Amid threat of downgrade, unbalanced budget bill becomes law
Posted: July 11, 2017 - 5:43am

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers are to return to the Capitol for another session day, but without an agreement to fully fund the $32 billion budget bill they passed nearly two weeks ago and with the threat of a credit downgrade looming to the state's bruised credit rating.

The budget bill became law Tuesday, even though it is badly out of balance. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf declined to veto the bill as he presses the Republican-controlled Legislature to approve a tax package big enough to avoid a credit downgrade.

Tuesday's session could be a sidelight to negotiations to hammer out a $2 billion-plus revenue plan that budget negotiators say is necessary to plug a hole in the state's finances.

Meanwhile, there are questions about the constitutionality of the budget law.