Pike County officials are calling on Pennsylvania lawmakers to end repeated delays in passing the state budget, saying the impasses disrupt local services and put taxpayers at risk.
The Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution Wednesday urging Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Legislature to stay in session until a balanced budget is approved.
The resolution says Pennsylvania has missed at least a dozen budget deadlines in the past 25 years. Counties, school districts and municipalities are required to pass on-time budgets, but the state is not — leaving counties to absorb the fallout.
“When the state doesn’t act, counties are forced to borrow money, cut services, or raise taxes,” the resolution reads.
Commissioners warned the current budget standoff could again threaten county operations in 2026, with the possibility of higher property taxes.
“The state’s inability to pass a budget is unacceptable,” Commissioner Chairman Matthew M. Osterberg said. “We are a rural county that depends on state funding to support programs from veterans services to emergency response. This is not just a Pike County issue. Every resident of Pennsylvania will feel the effects.”
Commissioner Ronald R. Schmalzle pointed to Pike County’s plans to expand healthcare services as one area in jeopardy. “Through the Pike Medical Foundation, we now have plans, partners and momentum. The state’s budget impasse poses a serious threat to our progress,” he said.
Commissioner Christa L. Caceres said earlier state cuts to aging programs, combined with the budget delay, are compounding the county’s challenges. “Without a finalized budget, we cannot prepare to provide vital services for our residents with our already thin resources,” she said.
The commissioners’ resolution comes as the state House and Senate remain recessed, forcing counties to guess at the Commonwealth’s spending plan for the next fiscal year.
Image: The Pike County Courthouse in Milford, PA. (Credit: Pike County Courts)