The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Friday passed a bill that would allow Philadelphia to close a $700 million budget gap by deferring pension payments and temporarily raising the sales tax in the city from 7 percent to 8 percent, according to the Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus.

Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives is expected to vote Friday on a measure that would allow Philadelphia to temporarily raise the sales tax in the city and defer pension payments, the Philadelphia Inquirer was reporting.

Without state approval to raise the sales tax and make pension changes, Philadelphia will be forced to eliminate almost 3,000 positions and close all of its libraries and recreation centers, Mayor Michael Nutter said Thursday.