Counties Respond to the Passing of State Budget
News Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Although the impasse is over, counties will now have to address lost investments, paying back interest on loans, and other financial and workforce burdens.
Pennsylvania counties are exhaling in relief as this long state budget impasse has finally come to an end. These past 135 days have pushed counties and their providers to the brink of disaster on several fronts. Although the impasse is over, counties will now have to address lost investments, paying back interest on loans, and other financial and workforce burdens placed on them during this impasse.
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania looks forward to working with Governor Shapiro and all members of the General Assembly to ensure that a future budget impasse of this nature never occurs again. Counties provide critical services across the Commonwealth, and to jeopardize the function of those services with any sense of regularity puts vulnerable Pennsylvanians at risk and squarely places the financial burden on the shoulders of taxpayers.
Again, counties are pleased that all parties could put an end to this budget impasse, but it is our hope that the hard realities from the last four and a half months guide us away from this happening again.
Counties also appreciate that the General Assembly acted to reauthorize the 911 surcharge in the fiscal code of HB 416, avoiding the worst-case scenario of losing nearly $50 million in dedicated funding for this critical public safety system. While reauthorizing the surcharge at $1.95 provides short-term stability, there remains a growing gap between county costs and available revenues. With each passing year, counties fall further behind the funding curve as technology, staffing, and infrastructure costs continue to rise. Because counties have limited ability to raise revenue outside of property taxes, they are necessarily reliant on the 911 surcharge to fund these operations. Counties look forward to continued, meaningful dialogue with legislative leaders and 911 stakeholders in the months ahead to effectuate a sustainable 911 funding stream that better reflects the true cost of maintaining reliable, modern emergency communications across Pennsylvania.
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania looks forward to working with Governor Shapiro and all members of the General Assembly to ensure that a future budget impasse of this nature never occurs again. Counties provide critical services across the Commonwealth, and to jeopardize the function of those services with any sense of regularity puts vulnerable Pennsylvanians at risk and squarely places the financial burden on the shoulders of taxpayers.
Again, counties are pleased that all parties could put an end to this budget impasse, but it is our hope that the hard realities from the last four and a half months guide us away from this happening again.
Counties also appreciate that the General Assembly acted to reauthorize the 911 surcharge in the fiscal code of HB 416, avoiding the worst-case scenario of losing nearly $50 million in dedicated funding for this critical public safety system. While reauthorizing the surcharge at $1.95 provides short-term stability, there remains a growing gap between county costs and available revenues. With each passing year, counties fall further behind the funding curve as technology, staffing, and infrastructure costs continue to rise. Because counties have limited ability to raise revenue outside of property taxes, they are necessarily reliant on the 911 surcharge to fund these operations. Counties look forward to continued, meaningful dialogue with legislative leaders and 911 stakeholders in the months ahead to effectuate a sustainable 911 funding stream that better reflects the true cost of maintaining reliable, modern emergency communications across Pennsylvania.