State budget woes crippling local agencies

MILFORD — Pennsylvania’s failure to complete a budget is bringing down vital services for the sick, elderly and the very young — those least able to deal with it — agency spokespersons told Pike’s commissioners Wednesday. Robin LoDolce, director of the county’s Area Agency on Aging detailed concerns about growing transportation needs and costs. LoDolce said county transportation services include rides for seniors, people travelling to medical providers and pharmacy services. Growth in southern Pike has pushed the need for services. Pike provided some 9,000 rides in 2007-08. This year the number has risen 12,700 trips State funding is supposed to cover these costs. Harrisburg recently provided $44,500, but that still leaves the program $68,000 over budget. With clients spread around the rural county, the agency has used private transportation, including cabs, in the past to service some people. “We can’t afford that anymore,” LoDolce said. Lacking a hospital, Pike is forced to transport several hundred clients to services in Hamlin, Scranton and Honesdale. County funding is picking up the difference for now, but that can’t continue. Commissioners’ Chair Richard Caridi said the county is completing its August spending accounting this week. “When that’s done, we’ll try to figure how we’ll continue,” if the state budget problems continue, he said. Commissioner Harry Forbes noted that LoDolce’s report only deals with one agency. “We have these same issues across the board,” he said. “As the economy worsens, you have one of two choices, fund from county money or cut services,” Forbes said. “These are problems we’re dealing with in a growth county,” Caridi said. “When the state doesn’t subsidize as it’s supposed to, things get worse,” he stated. Private services provide much of the county’s children’s services under governments contracts. The lack of a budget has put great stress on those services, said Ann Gillerlane, executive director of the Center for Developmental Disabilities (CDD) in Milford. Gillerlane said CDD is running an $80,000 deficit from Head Start and Pre-K programs for some 200 families. The deficit has put CDD at risk for numerous grants that supplement services. Four staff members have been lost and she has taken a three-month line of credit to guarantee payroll. Cuts also endanger national foundation money, made available only because of Pa.’s recent advances in services for children. “This is a crisis...I don’t have $80,000 around to compensate. Our budget is lean in the best of times. I spent several weeks this summer just deciding whether to open this year.” She blamed the Republican backed, SB-850 budget plan for the problem. “This (SB-850)does not support children and families. I’m not sure how much longer we can survive.” Dana Wojciechowski of the Early Care and Education Coalition of Pike County provided documentation showing the SB-850 version of the state budget would cut services to 17,000 children and 2,000 jobs of early childhood staff. Judy Moeller, of Stony Hollow Pre-School and Child Care in Lehman Township said the Senate doesn’t seem to understand what they’re doing. She detailed how a Senate staffer criticized her for “expecting the state to subsidize your business.” Moeller said the state is not subsidizing her, but providing for families and children who don’t want to be on welfare or assistance. “I can hear that in their voices when I talk to them,” Moeller said.