WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — Westmoreland County officials are sharing some impacts of the state budget impasse with Channel 11, as they prepare to furlough more than 125 employees.
“The purpose of government, from what I can remember in civics a number of years ago, is to serve and protect the people,” said Tim Phillips, director of Westmoreland County’s Department of Community Relations and Prevention. “How are we serving and protecting our people by doing this? It’s crazy!”
Phillips says his department will cut community outreach for the homeless and addicts, and prioritize calls on their crisis hotline.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 100 Westmoreland County employees expected to be furloughed this week
Rob Hamilton is the director of Human Services, and his department will be down 50 people come Oct. 13.
“People, when they come to us, are at the lowest point in their lives,” Hamilton said. “Imagine being sent to a place for resources and being told, ‘We are sorry. This service isn’t available because we don’t have a state budget.’”
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity recently announced a new loan program to assist counties during the budget impasse. Senate Republicans have proposed forgiving the interest on those loans, but that has not passed, and some Democrats are skeptical.
“These are senators trying to be heroes of the disaster they created,” said Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas, a Democrat. “It’s really just a distraction from the real work of passing a comprehensive, bipartisan comprehensive budget.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Westmoreland County announces furloughs, park closures as state budget impasse continues
Republican Commissioner Sean Kertas says he’s in favor of the loan program.
“There is impact. However, when you really look at it, the impact is a short-term aspect unless this continues into 2026, which we know it’s not going to happen.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Westmoreland County starts making cuts, says layoffs could come if state lawmakers don’t pass budget
Commissioner Doug Chew wants to see the Senate pass a stopgap budget that would eliminate the need for loans.
“There is no reason our legislators can’t do a stopgap budget measure to keep the 2024-25 state budget numbers in place while they hammer out a deal for the 25-26 budget,” Chew said.
Pennsylvania Senator Kim Ward says the fastest option is one that’s not currently on the table.
“We could have a budget today if we would just say, ‘OK, your taxes are going up,’ but we are not willing to do that.”
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