Budget finally passes in PA

Wayne County commissioners have questions

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA — The three Wayne County Commissioners aren’t dancing for joy now that the longest budget delay in state history is over.

On Friday, October 9 at 10:00 p.m. Governor Ed Rendell signed the $27.8 billion 2009 budget but some things have yet to be decided. With the lack of a budget, Wayne County is unable to reimburse some service providers who operated their programs without stopping.

“We have to see some numbers by next week before we can make some decisions,” said Brian Smith, commissioners’ chair. “We are still keeping our cuts in the time our offices are opened. We haven’t had to cut staff as of yet. There are some departments who have not paid their bills for September. We want to know if they can pay those bills now. We want to know just what is being cut in this year’s budget.”

Smith said the commissioners might have to make some downward adjustments to their 2009 budget, which was passed months ago. “Starting next week, we’re going to have to get answers to these questions, as well as begin the budget process for 2010. If we have to cut back on the 2009 budget, we will. A lot will depend on the number we get from Harrisburg.”

Many of the non-profit groups and day care centers that stayed open despite having no state funds will now have to dig into their own pockets. Forced to choose between closing doors or extending lines of credit and eating into their savings, many organizations selected the latter and are now faced with interest payments the state won’t cover.