Sep. 24, 2015
HARRISBURG – With human service programs and schools hitting a financial crisis point due to the continuing state budget impasse, Rep. Judy Ward (R-Blair) joined her Republican colleagues in the state House today in passing emergency state funding legislation to help these entities stay afloat.
“It is appalling that those organizations whose mission it is to help those in our communities most in need are now suffering. They have been put in the position of reducing hours, furloughing staff and possibly shutting their doors because the governor is unwilling to compromise on a budget plan that doesn’t impose massive taxes on Pennsylvania families,” said Ward. “We are talking about rape crisis and domestic violence centers, programs that assist our senior populations, organizations that offer cancer screenings, along with those that help children with intellectual disabilities. There are a multitude of human service programs, as well as education programs such as Head Start and Pre-K Counts that are now feeling the pinch.
“Schools are also suffering due to school district budgets straining over the loss of both state and federal dollars while an impasse continues,” added Ward. “This emergency funding would allow schools to get their state aid, and also allow them to draw down available federal dollars.”
Funding contained in the emergency funding bills includes state appropriations amounting to $11 billion, which would cover the timeframe of July 1 to Oct. 31. In addition to four months (or 33.3 percent) of state aid, the emergency funding bills would allow $24.3 billion in federal dollars to reach their intended recipients, and PHEAA grants and county child welfare funding would be disbursed at 50 percent.
“The governor has continued to thwart every attempt to resolve the budget stalemate or, at the very least, release money to those agencies most in need,” said Ward. “If the governor had simply used his authority to line-item veto the portions of the state budget he disagreed with back on June 30, instead of vetoing the entire document, we would not be in this situation today. I am hopeful he reconsiders his position and signs this package of bills into law so these entities can continue to operate while we work out a final budget agreement.”
Representative Judy Ward
80th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tricia Lehman
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