Wolf’s Signature Needed to Send Funding to Social Services, Toepel Says
HARRISBURG – To help struggling social services and school districts desperate for their state subsidies while budget negotiations continue, Rep. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) along with a majority of her colleagues in the state House sent an emergency funding package to the governor’s desk.
The funding includes state appropriations amounting to $11 billion, retroactively to July 1 and carrying through to Oct. 31. In addition to four months (or 33.3 percent) of state aid based on House Bill 1192’s levels (which are higher than the 2014-15 state budget), the emergency funding bill allows $24.3 billion in federal dollars to reach their intended recipients, and PHEAA grants and county child welfare funding will be disbursed at 50 percent.
With House approval of emergency funding bills this week, the decision on whether these critical human services and schools receive their state and federal money rests solely with the governor.
“It’s time to allow the Commonwealth to serve its residents, but we need the governor to sign the emergency state funding package before that can happen,” Toepel said. “Without his blessing, rape crisis centers, cancer screening services and children with special needs—to name a few—will remain in jeopardy. Our schools also need funding so our children and grandchildren can have textbooks.”
Social services and school districts have not received state funding since the governor fully vetoed the budget proposal on June 30. As they approach four months without funding, the situation becomes more critical.
On Monday afternoon, the board of directors for Erie’s public schools voted unanimously to authorize the superintendent to shut down the district if it runs out of money. Currently, the district is operating without 60 percent of state tax dollars. In addition to school districts, social service providers are also being handicapped and at risk of closing their doors without the necessary funding.
“While a permanent and realistic budget remains the top priority, we also recognize that individuals and agencies in the Commonwealth are currently suffering. We must direct funding to them now while we proceed with budget negotiations,” Toepel said.
Representative Marcy Toepel
147th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Alison Evans
717.260.6206
aevans@pahousegop.com
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