PA counties urge state budget caution

Don’t touch core services!

By TOM KANE

MILFORD, PA - Pike County passed a resolution on May 20 urging the state General Assembly to not cut core services in its slashing of the state budget. The same resolution was adopted by every board of county commissioners in the state, following an urging by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP).

“Granted that some things must be cut in some areas of the state budget, but certain core services should not be cut,” said commissioner Karl Wagner. “Otherwise, we have to pass on the cost of such services to the taxpayer, which means mainly the property owners, which isn’t right.”

Examples of core services are the human services safety net that supports residents in need: support for needy children, public safety measures, public health activities and promoting industries vital for economic development such as tourism and agriculture.

“Meanwhile, the federal government, for example, gives money to grandparents who baby-sit their grandchildren,” commissioner Harry Forbes said. “Why can’t they cut that kind of program?”

The commissioners complained that the state mandated counties to hire a full-time district attorney but has not helped pay the increase in salary as they had promised.

“They are pushing more and more onto the backs of local residents in taxes,” said Rich Caridi, commissioners’ chair.

An additional complaint is that the county has to balance its budget by law.

“The federal government and the state can mandate from on high a lot of laws and obligations, but it all comes down to the local municipal governments to carry out the mandates,” Caridi said. “What can we do if we don’t get help from them?”