Freshman Montgomery County State Representative Matt Bradford says he had very little input into this year’s budget, but the process certainly made an impression on him. “The level of dysfunction in the process is something that I’m definitely left with.”

He says it clearly needs reform, but the deal the governor and legislative leaders worked out over the last few days is not too bad at first glance.

“It’s a mixed bag, but in light of the historic challenges we face with our economy this year, I want to see the fine print.  The devil is in the details, but I think it’s clearly a step forward, and I hope it can get ratified at all levels in the next week or two.”

Bradford says the budget shrinks the size of state government and reduces spending, while increasing school funding without raising the personal income tax or sales tax. Franklin and Marshall College Center for Politics and Public Affairs Director Terry Madonna says reaching a budget agreement was tougher than usual this year, partly because some lawmakers made campaign promises not to vote for any tax hikes, and partly because Governor Rendell has lost much of his clout.

“Rendell’s a lame duck, so now all of a sudden legislators don’t fear him.  They used to fear him considerably because they were worried that he would go out and raise money and come into their districts and beat up on them, but now, in a poll that we did on the governor’s approval rating, it’s more negative than positive in the Philadelphia suburbs for the first time.”

Doctor Madonna says suburban voters apparently did not buy into his arguments for spending increases and a personal income tax hike during a recession.  He and Bradford appeared Monday on the WNPV talk program Comment Please by Univest.