HARRISBURG, PA — The ongoing budget impasse in Harrisburg is having a negative impact on municipalities and especially on counties, with some, such as Pike, saying they will have to take out loans to make ends meet at the beginning of 2016. Further, federal funds to meet the special needs of seniors, children and other vulnerable residents are not being released to the counties.

To end the worst impacts of the budget fight, and to ensure that they do not happen again, Pennsylvania counties on November 25 authorized the counsel of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) to research potential litigation against the state.

CCAP Chairman Jeff Haste said, “This budget stalemate has lasted long enough. Counties have, to the best of their abilities, kept critical services available for children, seniors and many of the most vulnerable in our communities. The governor and legislature do not fully understand the scope and nature of the harm their inaction causes, and do not seem to share our view of the crisis in services, which affects the everyday lives of our residents.”

CCAP President Craig Lehman said, “Counties have tapped reserves, been forced to borrow, delayed hirings, limited some services, and reduced or stopped paying vendors in order to continue providing for the well-being of our residents. It is unconscionable that the commonwealth’s continued impasse is negatively affecting those in critical need.”

The commissioners of Bucks County are not waiting for a lawsuit to be filed and have taken measures on their own to replace state and federal funding. County officials there transfer between $4 million and $5 million a month to the state in real estate transfer tax, fines and fees.

Bucks County Commissioners have determined that they will no longer send those payments on to Harrisburg. A post on the county website says, “As of noon on Tuesday, November 24, 2015, all County of Bucks offices will cease remitting payment to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania until such time as a state budget is passed…

“The reality of the situation is nobody at the state has felt any pain throughout this budget stalemate, which is now at 147 days,” Chairman Robert Loughery said. “At this rate, we will run out of cash by the end of the year (funding resident services at their current level). We know other counties already have run out of funds. Bucks County will take the lead with this action, and we strongly encourage other counties to follow suit.”

The latest word from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office and leadership of the legislature is that work toward an agreement is back on, but this battle has been ongoing since July 1, and county officials want action.