Budget Impasse Will Start To Hurt, Says House Majority Leader
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As Pennsylvania enters its fourth week without a state budget, it's only a matter of days before the hurt from the impasse will start to be felt locally.
"Really the human services agencies are the ones that will miss their payments first from a state government perspective," PA Rep. Dave Reed told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Monday.
Reed, the Republican House Majority Leader, is candid.
County social service agencies are about to lose state money because a Democratic governor and a Republican legislature have, so far, failed to compromise to pass a budget.
Those affected services include mental health, behavioral health, child welfare, domestic violence and rape programs, homeless assistance, legal services, and certain hospital payments.
But that's not the biggest hit.
"Then the schools come shortly thereafter," warns Reed.
Just as the school year begins, school districts will not get their state funding as expected, first on July 30 and then again on Aug. 27. Some districts may have to borrow money to keep going.
Teed, who grew up in Homer City, Indiana County, at age 24 was the youngest elected to the state House.
Now at age 37 he's second only to House Speaker Mike Turzai in leadership.
"This year it's been an interesting venture for the first six months on the job as House Majority Leader with the state budget, a new governor, new leadership in the House and Senate. But it is really surreal walking into the Capitol every day."
Reed has been in on the private negotiations with the governor and thinks a deal is close.
"Hopefully we'll have it done sometime in the next couple weeks."
And unlike the parties in Washington, in Harrisburg, says Reed, compromise is not a dirty word.
"If the governor, the House, and the Senate are willing to put aside some differences, compromise, meet in the middle on some of these items, we can really make Pennsylvania a special place for generations to come," predicts Reed.
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