Reform group: Here's $313M in fat to trim from PA spending

Gov. Ed Rendell has spent months going over the state budget and has come up with $439 million in proposed cuts to stem the massive red ink pouring from the 2008-09 General Fund budget.

The current budget deficit has already topped $658 million in just the first five months of the fiscal year. Projections have the deficit reaching $2 billion by the end of the fiscal year in June 2009.

At a recent press conference the governor asked for help in finding more cuts.

Eric Epstein, coordinator of RocktheCapital.org, a Harrisburg-based reform group, has answered the call. Epstein has released a list of $313 million that can be cut in state spending without impacting Pennsylvania residents.

Among the cuts:

Liquidate non-lapsing, leadership accounts $241.5 million

Eliminate Public Service Announcements by lawmakers: $1.35 million in annual savings

Reduce PHEAA funding by the amount spent on "lobbying fees": $1 million

For the full list, click here. Also visit RocktheCapital.org for more on the group's efforts to reform state government.