It has been more than 80 days since the deadline for the Pennsylvania state budget, and Harrisburg still hasn’t done its job. The excuse we hear from the Legislature is that they have “one item — transportation — to work out” before the budget can be finalized. That is not an excuse; it is a disgrace. They could have passed the budget on time, as the law requires, and then hammered out the details of transportation later. Instead, they chose delay, dysfunction and dereliction of duty.
And while they bicker, counties, municipalities and nonprofits are paying the price. Local governments are forced to borrow money to cover basic operating expenses because the state refuses to release funds. That means taxpayers foot the bill for interest and fees — money that could have been used for roads, public safety or social services.
In Westmoreland County alone, taxpayers are losing up to $5,000 per day in lost interest revenue because of this failure.
The damage doesn’t stop there. Without a budget, counties face the threat of layoffs to the very employees who actually serve the public — the caseworkers, corrections officers and clerks who keep government functioning. Families’ livelihoods hang in the balance while Harrisburg treats the budget like a bargaining chip.
If any county controller, borough council or school board acted this way, there would be outrage. Yet in Harrisburg, this incompetence is treated as business as usual. Enough is enough. Budgets are not bargaining chips. They are the foundation of responsible government, and passing them on time is the bare minimum we should expect.
The people of Pennsylvania are tired of excuses. Stop the political games and pass the budget now.
Jeffrey Balzer
Greensburg
The writer is Westmoreland County controller.