Corbett's Budget Expected To Contain Deep Cuts

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - In the hours before Governor Tom Corbett delivers his long-awaited budget address today, few details are known, except for one big one: it will contain lots of cuts and pain.

Erik Arneson, spokesman for Chester Republican Dominic Pileggi, the Senate majority leader, says Senate GOP leaders were given a broad overview of the budget yesterday, but no specifics. It's unusual that no details have emerged in the weeks leading up to the first Corbett budget, but understandable, Arneson says, given the multi-billion dollar deficit the governor is dealing with.

He noted that many times, governors want to leak details of positive proposals in their budget plans, "Because they're proposing a new spending program or a tax cut, you know, something like that. And this year, facing the challenges that we face, there's just not a lot of opportunity for programs like that."

Arneson believes part of it is a different style but that it is also a very different time in Pennsylvania's history.

Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio 1060