STATE BUDGET IMPASSE REACHES 36TH DAY

As the state budget impasse reaches it’s 36th day, A state senator from Westmoreland County is suggesting the state adopt a six-month spending plan to maintain last year’s funding levels for essential services while negotiations continue.  The Trib reports that State Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward said that if an agreement can’t be reached soon, they need to make sure money continues to flow so hospitals, schools, and social services are not impacted.  Her Democratic counterpart, Jay Costa, disagrees, saying the budget needs to be passed as a whole, and there would be no support for adopting a partial year budget.  Pennsylvania last passed a partial-year budget in 2020, as it faced fiscal uncertainty related to the covid-19 pandemic.