Pennsylvanians are now dealing with both state and federal budget fiascos, as legislators on both levels are failing to meet their responsibilities. After months of grandstanding and ineffective leadership, both Congress and the General Assembly are failing to do their jobs. As a result, effective 12:01 am on October 1, the federal government has shut down all non-essential services. The state government remains open, but services are affected.

For Pennsylvanians, this is a perfect storm of a lack of accountability, non-responsive government, and partisan politics.

Here’s what you need to know about the state and federal budget impasses:

What’s the hold-up this time?  Just like in 2018 and 2019, some members of Congress want to fund a Billionaire’s Budget, giving taxpayer dollars to the wealthiest and leaving the rest of us to foot the bill. Their goal is to give handouts to their political donors to support their aims at the expense of hardworking Americans and their families.

What do these dual budget impasses mean for hardworking Pennsylvanians?

• Our schools are not being funded properly. Pennsylvania’s school districts are already planning to cut essential programs due to losing out on $2 billion in state funding. Now, schools will be hit even harder with the federal government shutdown. Who will be hurt the most?
  • Students with disabilities, English language learners, and students in economically disadvantaged districts
  • Families that rely on preschool and childcare subsidies, so parents can work
  • College students who rely on student aid to get the education they need to improve their lives
• Vulnerable people are struggling to get by. Families with children, seniors, and lower income Pennsylvanians – the people who are most vulnerable even in the best of times – are at risk of serious hardship with this one-two punch from our elected representatives. Programs like food stamps and food banks will be forced to turn away hungry families as costs for food continue to rise, and programs that help residents get and stay healthy are also losing out.
• Pennsylvanians will be less healthy and less safe without critical government services.  Millions of Pennsylvania residents rely on Medicaid and Medicare, Affordable Care Act subsidies, mental health and addiction counseling services, emergency medical services, nutrition programs, and other health and human services. When funding is delayed or even worse, cut, Pennsylvanians will lose access to the healthcare they and their families need and deserve.

The bottom line is this: Pennsylvanians are being short-changed while elected representatives play politics with our money.  

So what can we do? Budgets are moral documents, so when legislators focus their energy on passing a Billionaire Budget instead of the People’s Budget, it becomes clear who they think they work for and what they think is important. Every dollar they take away from education, healthcare, seniors and children is another dollar funneled to the powerful. And every day these impasses go on, the worse the effects will be.

Together we can fight for a government that works for the people, not the billionaires:

• Contact your state and federal legislators and tell them that this is unacceptable. Remind them that they work for the people, not the billionaires.
  • Contact Legislators for the Pennsylvania Budget
  • Sign the Petition for a Federal People’s Budget
• Write a letter to the editor about why the Pennsylvania legislature and the U.S. Congress need to pass a People’s Budget, not a Billionaires Budget.  
• Join Common Cause Pennsylvania’s Action Team to find more ways you can help support democracy.