Commissioners Review State Budget’s Local Impact
by Amanda Jones
Echo News Editor
Cameron County Commissioners discussed the state budget, economic news and conservation efforts at their regular meeting held Thursday in Emporium.
Commissioner Lori Reed stated that the budget came up at a recent meeting of county commissioners from northwestern Pennsylvania. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) is pushing against the Republican-crafted budget package which passed in the State House earlier this month.
The budget, which funds programs at slightly less than last year’s levels, offered a modest increase for education. However, it is seen as cutting too much from human services programs, many of which are required to be provided by counties.
“It is a tax increase for the counties, because they’re cutting funding from a ton of human services programs that we’re mandated to provide. We still have to pay for them, so the taxpayers will have to pay for them,” said Reed.