Gov. Robert P. Casey outlines his budget proposal at 11 this morning, and some area representatives say the Harrisburg grapevine is predicting tight spending for the next fiscal year.

"We haven't heard anything about it, but it's probably going to be a very austere budget," said Rep. Ruth C. Rudy, D-Centre. "There is not as much expected revenue, so it won't have many new spending programs or increases."

Information about the budget traditionally is kept under wraps until the address, Rudy said.

"It's 'iffy' -- the little information that's been available has been that it is a modest budget," said Mike McGuiness, a representative for Sen. J. Doyle Corman, R-Bellefonte. "I'm kind of waiting to see myself."

In his announcement for a re-election bid last Friday, Corman also said the spending will probably be slim under Casey's proposal, noting that revenues are more than $100 million less than they should be.

"The governor is holding back spending to balance the budget -- this is not the year he wants to go into the red," Corman said Friday.

Penn State's annual push for funding begins later this month, when University President Bryce Jordan travels to Harrisburg to petition for funds.

The University received $228.1 million from the state last year, about 23 percent of its budget. Pennsylvania currently ranks 47th of 50 states in per capita higher education funding.

Other local groups also will be waiting to hear the fate of their funds. Kevin Abbey, director of the Centre Area Transportation Authority, said he expects CATA's funds to raise slightly in an inflationary increase.

"We're anticipating a modest increase in state mass transit, about 3 to 4 percent," Abbey said. "State funds are going up. The state is strongly supportive of the mass transit system."

This year, CATA received $721,000 in state funds for operating and capital costs, Abbey said.

After Casey presents his proposal, it goes to the House and Senate for consideration, after which both houses and the governor will eventually agree on a compromise budget.

The fiscal year begins July 1.