Rendell: Pa. Budget Differences Narrower After Talks

Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell said legislative leaders are making progress again toward a budget agreement after the collapse of a previous deal.

Rendell spoke briefly with reporters while leaving his Capitol
offices Sunday night following a meeting with top House and Senate
Democrats.

Rendell says he believes ``there's going to be a compromise'' and that the differences between Democrats and the Senate's Republican majority ``are narrowing substantially.''

The state's budget is already three months late, while the politically divided Legislature has struggled over how to resolve a multibillion-dollar revenue shortfall.

A deal on a nearly $28 billion budget was announced Sept. 18. But rank-and-file House Democrats forced key changes to the deal's tax package that Republicans oppose.