According to an article in the Morning Call, the Republican-controlled Senate has thrown down its marker in this year’ss budget debate, as a critical committee gave its unanimous approval to a $27.6 billion budget plan that reverses the Corbett administration’ss cuts to higher education and boosts spending on public schools and social service programs.The 50-member chamber could vote as soon as Wednesday on the spending plan, which would increase state spending from current levels by 2 percent. Click here to read the Morning Call article.