HARRISBURG — The New York-based credit ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service has slapped a lower rating on Pennsylvania’s debt as state budgetmakers face spiraling public pension costs.

Monday’s downgrade means Pennsylvania is now closer to the bottom of Moody’s ratings for the 47 states with general obligation debt.

Thirty states still have ratings of Aaa or Aa1, while Pennsylvania joins 16 other states with an Aa2 rating or below. Moody’s had boosted Pennsylvania’s rating to Aa1 in 2010.

Moody’s said it acted because Pennsylvania’s relatively slow economic growth isn’t likely to keep up with its rapidly growing public employee pension contributions.

It also noted that Pennsylvania’s unfunded pension liabilities are growing, and said the state lost flexibility by using cash reserves to balance the just-approved spending plan for 2012-13.

Casey reports more cash in Senate raceHARRISBURG — Incumbent Democrat Bob Casey headed into the final months of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race with almost three times as much cash to spend as his Republican challenger, Tom Smith.Casey’s campaign reported a little over $6.2 million by Sunday’s deadline. Smith’s campaign reported almost $2.3 million, most of it his own money.Casey, the former state auditor general and treasurer from Scranton, is seeking re-election to a second, six-year term.Smith won a five-way Republican primary on April 24 for the right to challenge Casey. The Armstrong County resident made a small fortune after starting a coal company, and is using it to help bankroll his campaign.Smith reported spending more than $5.6 million so far, most of it on TV ads in the primary.

Romney visits Pittsburgh todayHARRISBURG — Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is returning to Pennsylvania in hopes of putting the state in the GOP’s win column for the first time since 1988.Romney will speak this afternoon at the Pittsburgh-area offices of a gas drilling-services company. Democrats are countering with appearances in eastern Pennsylvania by Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.She’ll be at the United Auto Workers hall in Allentown and an Obama for America campaign office in Wilkes-Barre.Romney’s trip is at least his sixth to Pennsylvania in the last three months as he works to defeat President Barack Obama in what is viewed as one of the nation’s most crucial swing states.Pennsylvania has 20 electoral votes, tied for fifth-most. Obama beat Republican John McCain by 10 percentage points in 2008.

Charleroi locks on Mon River closeCHARLEROI — The locks on the Monongahela River near Charleroi will be closed through Aug. 3, meaning cargo barges and pleasure boaters won’t be able to pass through the river at that point, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the chamber of Lock No. 4 is being drained starting Monday so crews an fix the miter gate sills, the filling valves and related machinery. The work was to begin Monday.