Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett submitted his $27.14 billion budget proposal to the General Assembly in February.
On Wednesday, the Senate approved its version, a $27.7 billion measure that reduces or eliminates many of the cuts in the governor's proposal.
Now it's the House of Representatives' turn.
For Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-65) and her colleagues, that means some difficult decisions will have to be made in the coming month.
While the House Republican majority is just beginning to take up the task, holding a brief caucus meeting on Wednesday in Harrisburg before adjourning until May 21, Rapp indicated that she doesn't fully agree with either of the proposals submitted to this point.
"Certainly the Senate increased the spending and restored some money to education and higher education," Rapp said. "I don't have a rundown line as far as each individual school districts. I'm sure that will be forthcoming from our Appropriations (Committee) chair."
Education cuts, including the Accountability Block Grant which the Warren County School District uses, in part, to pay for full-day kindergarten, have been a focal point of Corbett's proposal since it was released.
According to the Associated Press, the Senate budget restores $100 million for public school funding throughout the state.
"I like the Accountability Block Grant and there were some other restorations," Rapp said, "I don't know if that will stay in the House budget."
Portions of the increase in education funding in the Senate budget will go toward funding the state higher education system which, for Rapp, poses some concerns.
"(We) asked them (state colleges and universities) if they receive state money that they keep tuition down," Rapp explained. "The concern is if they receive this money again, are they still going to have a tuition increase? We give them state money and they still raise the tuition. That's one of my biggest concerns.
"If we are able to fund the state system of higher education, it needs to be tied to a level funding of tuition."
She said that she would rather see increased funding be alloted to county human service needs than higher education.
The Senate contends that the increase in spending is possible because tax revenues have been much stronger than anticipated. The Associated Press reported that the Senate budget counts on about $900 million from tax collections that are more robust than expected.
Approximately $500 million of that increase is incorporated in the Senate budget to offset Corbett's proposed cuts.
In a speech Wednesday, Corbett said, "We're going to need that money."
Rapp expressed the same concern.
"(Increased tax revenues) might not hold," she said, "and that's always the concern that we're spending money that we don't have. As far as that goes, I agree with the governor."
She explained that April revenues were "in the range" of $200 million to $300 million short and that May revenue figures will present a more complete picure of the situation.
"(It's) interesting information to review and obviously those of us in state government would like to see restoration of funding, but it's not always possible."
Once the House reconvenes, Rapp indicated that the focus will be on the budget. As for a timeline, "They're (the House leadership) saying June 15. I'm not sure if they're being really optimistic."
The Pennsylvania State Constitution stipulates that a budget must be in place by July 1.