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HARRISBURG (AP) -- Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday backed off his insistence on money for a new private-school funding program after it became a sticking point in a budget stalemate between Pennsylvania's politically divided Legislature.
Shapiro's shift in position came as state government plowed through its fifth day without full spending authority, and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives prepared to respond to a budget deal between Shapiro and Republicans who control the state Senate.
The holdup in the politically divided Legislature was primarily over education spending -- including Shapiro's support for a new $100 million program to pay for tuition at private and religious schools that Republicans also want.
But that first-ever "voucher" program has been long-opposed by Democrats, teachers' unions and school boards. Shapiro has remained out of sight in the Capitol, but in a statement said he would issue a line-item veto of the $100 million program should the House otherwise pass the Senate's $45 billion spending plan.
Shapiro said he was disappointed, but did not want to plunge the state into a "painful, protracted budget impasse."
The House returned to session Wednesday night, and a vote on the Senate Republicans' main budget bill remained possible. Some Republicans expressed shock at the turn of events.
"If this was the plan in the end, (Shapiro) certainly will have ruined his credibility with us, which to this point had been pretty strong," said Sen. Chris Gebhard, R-Lebanon.
Senate Republicans have not necessarily lost all their leverage.
Other items that Shapiro had wanted in the budget bill -- and that Senate Republicans agreed to in exchange for the private schools program -- might need separate legislation to allow that money to be spent.
And Republicans haven't scheduled the Senate to return to session until Sept. 18, giving them the ability to hold up the budget bill until then without the constitutionally required signature of the presiding officer.