COUDERSPORT – There’s still a lot of jockeying and compromise to
come before the state budget gets approval, State Rep. Martin
Causer, R-Turtlepoint, told a group of Potter County officials and
leaders Friday.
Causer came to the “Eggs and Issues” breakfast at the Potato
City Motor Inn prepared with lists of facts about the budget as
Gov. Ed Rendell proposed it, and with some criticism of the
governor’s priorities.
He did note that, “the governor has been good to education,”
with increases in most areas of spending, including a $38.1 million
hike in Special Education expenditures.
The basic education subsidy – what the state gives local
districts for regular expenses – is also up five percent in the
budget, and the School District Block Grant Program increased
funding by 25 percent.
Causer’s figures show that local school funding is the second
highest expenditure category in the budget, only two percentage
points under Welfare, which accounts for 36 percent of the
budget.
Welfare and Education, representing almost 70 percent of state
spending, will see the largest increases, while Job Creation and
Retention, Agriculture, Public Health and Environmental programs
“will take the biggest hit.”
Causer did say that the governor had left out of the budget
things that he might have wanted, knowing that the legislature
would put them in.
“Every governor does that,” he noted, as he expressed hope that
differences and compromises would be worked out in time for the
June deadline.
Tom Bowman, an aide to U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., pointed
out that Galeton and other small communities were having problems
trying to comply with Department of Environmental mandates on such
things as water and sewage treatment. A recent PennVest program,
for which there was $50 million in grants and $100 million for
loans for sewage disposal improvement, had generated more than $400
million in requests, Bowman noted.
Causer agreed that the state needs to appropriate more for local
sewage problems, especially mentioning infiltration.
“Local governments just can’t come up with the money,” he
said.
Among the environmental programs cut were $8.5 million in Safe
Water grants, $2.75 million for scrap tire cleanup, and $3.1
million in assistance to Water and Soil Districts.
About Property Tax relief, Causer could only say that “everybody
wants it done, but nobody can agree on how to do it.”
He said that “ideas are all over the place” about the mix of
income and sales tax possibly being used to support schools and
take the burden off the property owner’s back.
One thing he did seem certain of, whatever plans are finally
agreed upon will include a “back door referendum, giving taxpayers
the right to vote on future property tax increases.”
There were questions on federal Homeland Security funding and
state grants to fire departments, with Causer stressing the
importance of properly applying for funds.
While he assured Peg Rotello of the Austin Fire Department that
state funds are routinely granted, he explained that the federal
grants are competitive and that how the grant application is
written is highly important.
Potter County Commissioner Ken Wingo offered to help local
ambulance and fire departments with grant writing.
Local agriculture leader Ed Kosa noted some deep cuts in
spending for agricultural programs, including a 30-percent
reduction in research and 27-percent to Water and Soil Districts.
Kosa also noted that school administration seems top heavy, with
each district having its own superintendent and business manager;
his remarks drew a general murmur of agreement.
County Solicitor Bruce Cahilly pointed out that the now-mandated
full-time District Attorney will make about $135,000 a year, and
while that is 65 percent reimbursed, the county has to pay up front
and wait for the state to reimburse it. He suggested quarterly
payments.
Causer also promised to fight for more funding for community
education councils, which he noted make up somewhat for the lack of
community colleges in the area.
