HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Corbett is asking lawmakers to approve changes to Pennsylvania's public employee pension system in an effort to save $300 million for the state and school districts next year.

The Republican governor made the appeal during his budget address to lawmakers Tuesday.Corbett, who's running for re-election, says inaction is unwise and unfair to children and the schools. Rising pension costs is one of Corbett's biggest fiscal challenges, and he says it's also driving up local property taxes.Last year, Corbett proposed reductions in pension benefits for future and current employees, but it fell flat with lawmakers. Now, he wants to reduce pension benefits just for future employees, but he hasn't said how.To lower costs more immediately, he wants to postpone some pension payments into future years.