Clearfield County commissioners adopt resolution urging Pennsylvania to pass budget without delay

The Clearfield County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted Resolution 2025-6 on a vote this morning urging the governor and the Pennsylvania General Assembly to finalize the state budget without further delay.

The resolution, prepared by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) and read into the record by Commissioner Glass, says the Commonwealth has missed at least a dozen budget deadlines in the past 25 years and that those delays have forced counties to borrow money, disrupted services and threatened fiscal stability. "The county of Clearfield urges the governor and the legislature of Pennsylvania to prioritize their responsibilities and work collaboratively to finalize a budget without further delay," the resolution states.

Commissioners said the issue is bipartisan and has real operational impacts for counties. Commissioners recounted past budget impasses that required counties to plan service reductions, delay payments to service providers and draw on reserves. One commissioner described situations where counties had to decide which services to cut and said contractors and service providers sometimes had to borrow or threatened legal action over delayed payments.

Commissioners referenced examples in the transcript of long past impasses, including a roughly 100-day lapse in 2009 and a multi-month impasse in 2015–2016. They said delays can force municipalities and school districts to borrow and that borrowing or drawing down reserves reduces interest earnings available for county operations.

The resolution calls for the governor and the legislature to remain in session until a budget is passed to ensure fiscal stability for counties and to protect residents from undue financial strain. The board voted unanimously to adopt the resolution.

Commissioner Glass read the resolution during the meeting; a motion to adopt was made and seconded, and the vote was recorded as unanimous.