Smart Talk: Rendell weighs on on budget

What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, September 2, 2015:

Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell knows all about state budget impasses.  During Rendell’s eight years in office, not one budget was signed by the beginning of the state’s fiscal year July 1 (even though the budget during Rendell’s last year in office was agreed to before the deadline).  Disagreement on spending priorities, taxes, and politics between the Democratic governor and Republicans in the legislature held up agreements.

But it hasn’t kept Rendell from calling for compromise between the current Democratic Governor Tom Wolf and Republican lawmakers to end a two-month-old budget stand-off.

The former governor has suggested that Republicans may be willing to compromise if Wolf gives in on their priorities — reforming public pensions and privatizing liquor sales.  Rendell says Wolf may be able to get the severance tax on natural gas drillers to help pay for increases in education spending that he wants.

Former Gov. Ed Rendell appears on Wednesday’s Smart Talk to discuss the state budget situation, why compromise seems to be a bad word in Harrisburg and Washington, and other topics.