Pitt, Pa. Dems talk budget, Republican primaries

Gov. Tom Corbett’s recently proposed $27.4 billion state budget shows that both he and the… Gov. Tom Corbett’s recently proposed $27.4 billion state budget shows that both he and the state Republican Party are out of touch with reality, a member of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party told a group of students Thursday evening.

Jim Burn, chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, spoke to a group of about 20 students in the Barco Law Building for a conference held by the Pitt College Democrats. At the hour-long conference, Burn talked about his stance on Corbett’s proposed 30 percent cut to Pitt’s state funding, as well as the national Republican Party.

Burn said this year’s budget is the second in a row that targets public education in the state. He added that the most recent proposed budget, with a 30 percent cut for three out of the four state-related institutions, places an added burden on higher education in the state.

If the state passes the 30 percent cut in its final budget, the total percentage of state cuts to Pitt over the past 12 months would be 49 percent — very close to Corbett’s original proposed 50 percent cut to the University last year.

The chair of Student Government Board’s Governmental Relations Committee, Robert Beecher, said Burn’s sentiments indicate the need for a response from Pitt students.

“The best way that we can have an effect is by going to Harrisburg, showing our power as a group and showing representatives that we are passionate about this issue,” Beecher said.

Unlike last year, Burn said Corbett’s own party isn’t as willing as he is to make cuts to higher education.

“There doesn’t seem to be too much passion in Harrisburg for what the governor wants,” Burn said. “House Republicans are on the run with their elections coming up.”

Burn also took time to take aim at the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination.

“They’re all fighting over who’s the most conservative or who’s the most Christian,” Burn said. “It’s like Al Sharpton said during the 2008 election, ‘The Republicans are more obsessed with what’s going on in the bedroom than what’s going on the kitchen table.’”

Burn said the recent shift in ideology by Republicans coincides with the resurgence of Obama in national polls. This resurgence, he said, is a result of efforts by Obama to slowly restructure the economy.

“The president knew it was going to take time to reverse the avalanche of problems that [the United States] had,” Burn said. “It’s like buying a house that’s dilapidated: You don’t plant flowers or paint the house first. You fix the plumbing and infrastructure.”