Westmoreland County leaders relieved after lawmakers pass state budget
Westmoreland County leaders are breathing a sigh of relief as Gov. Josh Shapiro and state lawmakers approved a state budget, sending state funds back to individual counties for the first time in months.
"I'm actually elated that we finally have a state budget and a federal budget being passed," Westmoreland County Commissioner Douglas Chew said. "I definitely feel a lot of relief that this is over."
Westmoreland County hasn't received state funding in the 135 days of the budget impasse.
"Westmoreland County has had to furlough about 125 people," Chew said. "We have had to slow down payments to vendors in the big human service area."
Had the shutdown continued, he said, more people could have been furloughed.
"We didn't want to do any of those things," Chew said. "And so it's great that we have a budget and payments expected soon in the next couple of weeks."
It means that it will take some time for furloughed county employees to be brought back to work. Chew's fellow commissioner, Ted Kopas, said in a statement to KDKA-TV that the signing of a state budget is hardly cause for celebration.
"It's more relief that this is finally over," Kopas said. "The legislature's long inaction has cost Westmoreland County taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and put our most vulnerable at risk. This can never happen again."
Chew acknowledged it has been a challenge
"Our role in government is to rise to the challenge and see the problem through," Chew said. "And so it did take a while for us to receive a state budget. But in the end, I think it was overall a win for Pennsylvania."
He's happy there's no tax increase and the state isn't dipping into its rainy day fund.
"Business has a big win in this budget this year, because permitting reform became part of the budget," said Chew, who added he's been pushing for the reform for years.
Chew said the county's residents have not really felt the impacts of the impasse, but they did have to cancel a Halloween event because of the overtime it often generates.