Commission on Sentencing approves FY 2025–26 operating budget and several service contracts, flags reserve shortfall

The Commission on Sentencing approved a proposed fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget and multiple service purchase contracts at its quarterly meeting, while staff warned the commission that existing reserves could be nearly exhausted if requested funding is not received.

Commission members voted to approve the proposed operating budget for FY 2025–26 after staff described a plan that assumes a 3% staff salary increase, continuation of existing cost-savings measures and use of previously encumbered JRI funds for IT work. Executive Director Matt Wyman said the commission requested an operating appropriation of $3,400,000 from the legislature but that the draft operating budget carried a notional total of about $3,800,000 that includes work on web application development.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said the commission’s appropriations have been flat-funded since 2019–20, forcing staff vacancies and one-time draws on reserve accounts. Wyman told the commission that expenditures this year were roughly $3.3–$3.4 million and that a shortfall of about $700,000 had been covered by drawing other reserve funds to zero; he said about $350,000 of reserves would remain unless new revenue is secured.

Most important facts and votes: the commission approved the FY 2025–26 operating budget after a motion (moved by DA Bible; seconded by Judge Daley) and the motion passed. Members also approved a service purchase contract with The Pennsylvania State University to handle payroll and related operating invoicing in the amount of $2,926,211 (motion by Judge McDermott; seconded by Professor Rego), a service contract for legal counsel with Professor Joseph Sabino Mystic in the amount of $50,000 (moved by Judge Marcico; seconded by Attorney Bakovic), and a service purchase contract with Carbon Creek not to exceed $100,000 for application development support (motion passed; mover/second recorded in the meeting).

Discussion and context: staff told the commission it began the fiscal year with an organizational chart showing 24 FTEs, reduced that allotment to 22 and is currently operating with 19 filled positions. Budgetary measures have included travel reductions, delayed equipment replacement, consolidation of publications and use of targeted consultants rather than large contracts. Wyman said the commission had encumbered JRI funds for rebuilding the Commission’s web application (SGS NextGen/CASER) and had spent roughly $275,000 to date on that effort.

Commissioners and legislative members reported active outreach to appropriate appropriations chairs and other lawmakers to press for the request. Representative Bonner and Senator Street were mentioned as having engaged with staff on budget support. Wyman said the commission had been able to turn legislative requests around quickly because of staff capacity and warned that flat funding would affect the office’s ability to meet those demands and complete large projects such as SR 196 work.

How the commission will proceed: staff flagged that if the legislature does not appropriate the requested amount the commission could use encumbered JRI funds to keep operations running but that doing so would delay development of the web-based application relied on by judges, probation and others. Wyman and other staff said they will continue legislative outreach and will bring further budget updates to members as the appropriations process proceeds.

Ending note: the meeting materials also noted multiple staff vacancies and an upcoming reappointment cycle for commissioners whose terms end Sept. 30, 2025; Wyman said letters to appointing authorities and attendance records will be distributed in the coming weeks.