While Harrisburg is still engaged in a state budget debate, Pittsburgh City Council has moved ahead with support of a measure introduced to raise Pennsylvania’s statewide minimum wage.

Councilman Dan Gilman (District 8) today introduced a Will of Council to support Pennsylvania House Bill 1520, introduced by Rep. Patty Kim (D-Dauphin), aimed at incrementally increasing the state’s minimum wage until it reaches $15.00 an hour in 2024.

Though less combative than in past years following budget addresses by Gov. Tom Wolf, Republican leaders Tuesday offered their reaction to the governor’s FY 2017-2018 budget address.

Senate Republicans were first up to offer their spin on the governor’s proposed $32.3 billion spending plan, noting their concern that the governor was silent on major budget cost-drivers like pension reform and long-term care where Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre) said the governor “offered nothing to restructure the problem."

With the ongoing state budget impasse and looming FY 2016-2017 budget season to get going soon, one might be led to believe that state lawmakers have put other major priorities aside.

Not so.

In the coming days, The PLS Reporter will be taking a look at the legislative priorities of Pennsylvania’s lawmaking bodies for 2016.

First up: The priorities of Gov. Tom Wolf.

Acting Secretary of Labor and Industry Kathy Manderino was in front of the House Appropriations Committee Tuesday for her department’s budget hearing.

Among a number of topics discussed by Sec. Manderino and committee members, a wide gap surrounding the likely effects of raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage between Republican members and the Democratic-secretary became apparent.