Commission on Sentencing wins $500,000 increase after budget impasse; reserve rebuilt targeted

The Commission on Sentencing reported it received a $3,053,000 appropriation for the fiscal year, an increase of $500,000 from the prior $2,553,000, executive director Matt told commissioners at the quarterly meeting. He said the commission had faced a four‑month budgetary impasse that, without intervention, likely would have forced staff furloughs.

Matt credited legislative allies and Penn State University for averting a shutdown: "Penn State… stopped billing us or invoicing us for our salaries," he said, enabling the commission to pay July through October payroll only after the appropriation cleared. He estimated that payroll for that four‑month stretch totaled about $800,000.

The executive director said the commission drew down its reserves during the impasse—from roughly $750,000 to about $308,000—and plans to rebuild them more slowly. He told members the commission currently has 22 authorized full‑time positions but is operating with 18 filled roles and four vacancies; staff will prioritize hiring cautiously so the agency does not again outpace available funding.

On oversight and finance controls, staff noted the commission engages an independent auditor (Boyer & Ritter) under a three‑year contract and that the audit work is modest in cost (about $10,000) but required given the commission’s relationship with Penn State and the legislature.

The commission voted to approve the operating budget and the staff’s budget request, including funding to support up to 22 FTEs and a 3% salary projection. The motion passed by voice vote.

What happens next: staff said they will work with the chair and vice chair to craft a measured hiring plan and a strategy to replenish reserves while rolling out priority projects that the appropriation permits.