Brenda Mann of Jacobus, left, and Barbara Adelsperger of Manchester Township protest in front of state Sen. Mike Waugh s office on North George Street. The women are state workers and will not receive a paycheck until legislators and Gov. Ed Rendell agree on a budget. (Doug Bauman Photo)
A state budget stalemate dragged on for months this year, earning Pennsylvania the distinction as the last state in the country to approve a spending plan.

As the initial days turned into weeks, state employees, who had been forced to work without pay, revolted and the Legislature and governor finally were forced to OK a stap-gap budget. That got the paychecks moving, and funded such things as medical care for the poor and government offices, prisons and state parks.

But money for public schools, early childhood education and social services was left up in the air -- held hostage, some said, lawmakers too rigid to compromise.

Click on a story to the right to read what others are saying about the budget, or write a letter to the editor and tell us what you think.