Kauffman Supports Efforts to Provide Emergency Funding to Human Service Programs, Schools
HARRISBURG – In light of the ongoing state budget impasse, Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin) this week joined his colleagues in the state House in passing a package of emergency state funding bills to help sustain critical human service programs and to keep the doors of many organizations which depend on state funding, including our schools, open.
“Due to the governor’s unwillingness to compromise on a final state budget agreement, hundreds of human service organizations and schools across Pennsylvania have been denied state and federal funding since July 1,” said Kauffman. “Following two budget proposals and an earlier attempt to deliver state funding to critical service providers by House and Senate Republicans, the governor is still insisting on using school students and our most vulnerable populations as leverage to get agreement on his budget plan to implement massive tax hikes on the people of Pennsylvania.
“We believe that while we continue in earnest to come to a final budget agreement, we have an obligation to support critical human service providers and our schools, which are now at a crisis point financially. In fact, many human service agencies, and even a school district in Erie, are contemplating shutting their doors due to the lack of state aid,” continued Kauffman.
Funding contained in the emergency funding bills includes state appropriations amounting to $11 billion, which would cover the timeframe of July 1 to Oct. 31. In addition to four months (or 33.3 percent) of state aid, the emergency funding bills would allow $24.3 billion in federal dollars to reach their intended recipients, and PHEAA grants and county child welfare funding would be disbursed at 50 percent.
Kauffman noted that those affected include rape crisis and domestic violence centers, child advocacy centers, Head Start and Pre-K Counts programs, service providers for children with intellectual disabilities and organizations that assist the elderly.
“There is no need for the people of Pennsylvania to suffer while a final budget agreement continues to be negotiated,” noted Kauffman. “I am hopeful the governor seriously considers this legislation and signs it into law.”
Representative Rob Kauffman
89th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tricia Lehman
717.772.9840
tlehman@pahousegop.com
RepKauffman.com