Sep. 24, 2015
HARRISBURG – After passage of legislation to offer emergency funding to health and human services organizations and school districts adversely impacted by Gov. Tom Wolf’s June 30 budget veto, Rep. Marguerite Quinn (R-Bucks) issued the following statement:
“After three months without a state budget, the impacts have begun to be felt by our friends and neighbors. Students in nonpublic schools aren’t receiving textbook reimbursements. Area Agencies on Aging are short of funds for senior programming. The juvenile justice system lacks resources to serve at-risk youth. Food pantries aren’t receiving critical state dollars. And the list of those affected grows with each passing day.
“I am particularly concerned about our state’s intermediate units, which are tasked with educating children with the most critical needs – special education, emotional challenges and other learning disabilities. Because these entities are not taxing authorities, they rely exclusively on funding from state and federal sources, as well as school districts that feed into their systems. The lack of funding this year is requiring many of them to consider borrowing funds, incurring significant costs in the process.
“This pain is unnecessary. The Governor has the power to release these funds and restore these and other important services. I call upon him to sign the emergency funding legislation to offer these organizations immediate relief and then come back to the negotiating table to iron out a broader long-term budget agreement. Our children, seniors, and other vulnerable populations should not be caught in the middle or left waiting.”
Representative Marguerite Quinn
143rd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ryan Travis
rtravis@pahousegop.com
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