County officials watching state budget stalemate

County officials, as well as state employees, are monitoring developments with the state's 2009-10 operating budget as the stalemate continues in Harrisburg. As of late week, Republicans and Democrats were still far apart in their positions, as they debate whether to raise the state's personal income tax or cut expenditures to produce a balanced budget.

With paychecks due to come out next week, state employees expect to feel the most immediate hit as a result of the impasse. While employees of agencies such as the Pennsylvania Lottery, which are self-funded, will continue to draw their pay, other workers, such as state parks and PennDOT employees, won't.

To call attention to their dissatisfaction, PennDOT employees statewide have announced they'll mount a "friendly protest" on their lunch break Tuesday.

"It's not a picket - we're just getting a message to the state that we need a budget," said local PennDOT employee Donald Shaffer. "Management might even get involved, because they're not getting paid, either. They're in the same boat.

"It's pretty much going to be statewide," he added.

In Potter County, leaders are concerned that spending cuts could result in counties having to pay a higher portion of costs to operate state-mandated programs, particularly human services. Jim Kockler, administrator of human services, has advised Commissioners Doug Morley, Paul Heimel and Susan Kefover that the county's match for staterequired programs operated by his agency could increase under some of the budget proposals.

Another major source of concern locally is elimination of state funding for community education councils, which benefit Pennsylvania residents in areas without access to community colleges or other institutions. Potter County Education Council supporters have issued pleas for continued financial support.

Live interviews with call-in questions aired Wednesday night on Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN), spotlighting the differences between Democrats in Harrisburg, represented by Gov. Ed Rendell and Republicans, represented by Senator Joe Scarnati. Scarnati fielded a question about the impact of state budget cuts on county governments by suggesting that Democrats were using "scare tactics" and exaggerations. Scarnati said he remains strongly opposed to raising taxes.

Scarnati is lieutenant governor and president pro tempore of the State Senate. He was a leading supporter of Senate Bill 850, which calls for spending reductions or elimination of several state-funded programs to balance the budget. Rendell cited a shortfall of more than $3.2 billion in anticipated revenue for the 2008-09 fiscal year in calling for a temporary, three-year increase in the personal income tax from the current 3.07 percent to 3.57 percent.

The interviews will be available on the PCN website, www.pcntv.com, under the "PCN Anytime" icon on the main webpage.