House and Senate negotiators may be making progress on legislation to extend a two percentage point cut in payroll taxes, but big roadblocks remain as the Feb. 29 deadline moves closer.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., brought his push for an extension to Berks County on Monday.

He met with Mayor Vaughn Spencer, D-Reading, at City Hall to discuss the tax cut extension's impact on Berks County.

Wanda Rodriguez, a single parent with three children who is struggling to make ends meet, stood with Casey.

"It would mean going towards paying my rent. It would mean money going towards feeding my children," said Rodriguez, as tears came to her eyes.

Casey, who is up for re-election, said plain and simple, extending the deadline equals more money.

"What it means is, if we get an agreement on the next 10 months, it's $488 per worker in Berks County," said Casey.

A family with two workers would see nearly $1,000 in added take-home pay.

"Extending the payroll tax is a lock. It's a no brainer," said Mark Oleszek, an assistant professor of political science at Albright College in Reading.

Oleszek said although Casey may be using the payroll tax extension as a campaign tactic, it is an easy way to spur economic growth, and Republicans agree.

U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, R-Pa. 6th District, said House Republicans voted for a full-year extension in December. After the Senate agreed to only a 60-day extension, Gerlach said he wants a bipartisan compromise for the rest of 2012.

"We definitely want to allow our workers, our taxpayers, to keep more of their money and hopefully use that to spend and grow the economy," said Gerlach.

Both Casey and Gerlach said the main challenge is how to pay for it and are hoping a compromise can be made by the end of the month, before the tax cut expires.