As I predicted, Gov. Tom Corbett finally signed the PA Budget that was dropped back in his lap when the State Legislature went into recess.

Corbett signed the state’s 2014-15 budget this morning, while accusing his own Republican controlled Legislature of doing too little to repair the state’s finances.

If he had failed to take any action the budget would have been automatically accepted tomorrow in its entirety, 10 days after lawmakers in the House and Senate approved the budget. Rather than have that happen,  Corbett signed and used what little leverage he had remaining – the Line Item Veto.

Using that line item veto, Corbett cut $7.2 million in spending designated by the Legislature, noting that the proposal sent to him last week increased the General Assembly’s own $320 million budget by 2 percent and included $5 million for parking.

“I am forcing mutual sacrifice with the General Assembly through the governor’s ability to line-item veto spending and hold spending in budgetary reserve,” Corbett said.

Corbett also said he had asked the Legislature during budget negotiations to put $75 million of its $150 million in reserve funds to help balance the state’s budget. He said the reductions will leave the Legislature with three months in reserves.

Corbett signed the state budget 10 days late on Thursday and used his line-item veto to strike $65 million from the General Assembly’s own appropriation, urging a renewed effort to cut public-sector pensions for newly hired teachers and state workers.Corbett, a Republican, said he wanted to avoid any more school districts raising property taxes to cover their pension obligations.

He said the Legislature left Harrisburg “with unfinished business. They need to come back and enact pension reform.”