NO JUDAS HERE. How badly does Gov. Ed Rendell want to raise the state personal income tax by 16 percent?Read more at the newspaper's Web site.
Badly enough to court the Blue Dog Democrats in the state House Democratic Caucus. If the name sounds familiar, it's because it was lifted from a similar band of conservative Democrats in Congress.
Rep. Nick Kotik of Coraopolis, the leader of the Blue Dog Dems, said Rendell has made "overtures" to talk to the group about supporting his tax hike proposal.
Kotik vowed not to be swayed by the long tradition of governors and legislative leaders buying tax votes with special grants known as WAMs and pet projects for lawmakers' districts.
"Thirty pieces of silver isn't going to do it," he said.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
