It's easy to understand if Pennsylvanians felt like they were caught in a version of Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First?" routine concerning the state budget during the past couple of weeks.
It seemed like: Does anyone know What's going on or Who's on first?
Only in Pennsylvania's case, the situation is not amusing but aggravating.
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For the eighth year in a row, Pennsylvania started the fiscal year without a spending plan signed into law. That's not a complete surprise, given Gov. Ed Rendell's perfect record - albeit all losses - of meeting the state Constitution's call for having a spending plan in place by July 1.
As the weeks toward the end of the last fiscal year wound down, it seemed like another budget stalemate was inevitable, especially given the tight financial picture. Last year's deadlock lasted 101 days.
Then in the waning days, suddenly, the governor and legislators reached a budget concept and with lightning speed fleshed out the details - a process that has taken a week or more in the past.
The Senate and House played with the rules that call on legislation to be on public display for a set period of time before a vote so they could act before the clock struck midnight Wednesday.
But all of that speed was for naught.
At the last minute, Rendell announced he wouldn't sign the appropriations bill until the state Legislature sent him companion pieces of legislation: including revisions to the fiscal code for collecting new revenue and new authorization to borrow money for economic development projects.
Then Rendell threatened to veto the appropriations bill unless he had all of the companion legislation by July 10.
Thursday night, Senate Republicans reportedly balked at further negotiations without including an independent fiscal office, leading to speculation that the budget deal was in jeopardy.
But a few hours later, it appeared things were smoothed over and talks continued. Final approval of all the budget bills came Saturday. Rendell now says he will sign them Tuesday and Wednesday.
Of course, until the ink's on the paper, Pennsylvanians don't know what will happen.
This whole episode likely leaves Pennsylvanians wondering: Who's on first? And What's on second? The likely response is I Don't Know, who, of course, is on third.
Confused? That's hardly a surprise given the budget games.
But unlike Abbott and Costello, we're not laughing.
