Here's this week's State Capitol Roundup provided by state Rep. Bob Mensch (R-147):

House Democrats Defeat Responsible State Budget in Committee

The Democrat majority on the House Appropriations Committee voted against a Senate-endorsed, fiscally responsible budget this week. The $27.3 billion spending plan was rejected on a party-line vote, with opponents claiming its spending cuts were too deep and would harm public education and other government initiatives. House Republicans are advocating a responsible budget that recognizes the limitations imposed by the struggling economy while ensuring the state's core government operations continue. House Democrats and the Rendell administration continue to push for a $29 billion budget that spends beyond our means and could only be implemented with a substantial income or sales tax increase. The current fiscal year ends June 30.

Democrats' Universal Health Care Plan Poised for House Vote

A proposal to expand state government's role in the health care industry is poised for a final vote in the House next week. Under House Bill 1, the state's adultBasic program, which provides health insurance for certain low-income individuals, would nearly triple in size. House Republicans are concerned that the plan helps only a small segment of the uninsured population and fails to address the underlying causes of skyrocketing health care costs. They also question funding the program with several one-time funding sources and a tax on people who have private insurance. Republicans are instead focused on comprehensive health care reform that ensures affordable, accessible care for all Pennsylvanians. Visit PAHouseGOP.com and click on "health care" for more information.

Lawmakers Rally to Defeat Democrat Tax Hikes

More than 30 lawmakers were joined by citizens from across the Commonwealth this week as they rallied against higher taxes and wasteful state spending. The Pennsylvania State Capitol Taxpayers' Protest was held in response to comments from Gov. Ed Rendell and House Democrat leaders suggesting an increase in income or sales taxes to pay for a proposed state budget spending increase of $1.2 billion over the current year's spending. This increase in state spending comes at a time when state revenues are expected to be down by more than $3.2 billion by the end of the fiscal year. As budget negotiations continue in the coming weeks, House Republicans have pledged to stand firm against broad-based tax increases. For the latest legislative news, visit PAHouseGOP.com