SMETHPORT — McKean County commissioners urged state lawmakers to finalize a spending plan without further delay, during their regular meeting Tuesday at the courthouse.

With the 2025-26 budget now nearly two months overdue, commissioners issued a resolution calling upon Gov. Josh Shapiro and the state legislature “to prioritize their responsibilities and work collaboratively to finalize a budget.”

Commissioners said the resolution reflects the county’s “firm stance on the necessity of timely and responsible budgetary practices.”

“This urgent appeal,” commissioners said in a press release, “comes in response to repeated budgetary delays that have significantly disrupted county operations and imposed undue financial strain on county taxpayers.”

The resolution emphasizes that counties, school districts and municipalities must pass on-time budgets while, during the last 25 years, the legislature “has missed at least a dozen budget deadlines, causing significant disruption.”

“These budget delays have cost county taxpayers with counties often not being reimbursed for the financial impacts,” commissioners observed. “Many counties have been forced to borrow money to continue operations due to these delays.”

Past budget delays have threatened to increase property taxes for county residents, commissioners pointed out, adding there is the potential for this to occur again in 2026.

The resolution holds that the Pennsylvania House and Senate, currently recessed, should not adjourn until a balanced budget is in place.

In other matters addressed at the meeting, the county is due to receive a $200,000 award from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund — a statewide program that helps communities build or fix affordable housing. The money will support local efforts to improve housing access, preserve existing homes or assist residents at risk of homelessness.

Also during the meeting, commissioners approved grant funding totaling $41,093 for the McKean County Juvenile Probation Department from the state and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for the Boondocs conservation program.

McKean County will also receive a $33,426 Rights and Services Act (RASA) Victim Services grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Funds help counties support crime victims.

Commissioners also approved a five-year agreement at $554.37 per month with Marco for its Managed Application Platform (MAP), used by Children and Youth Services (CYS) to securely manage case data. Two employee assistance program (EAP) agreements were approved for Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026, totaling $7,333.95 for total care and $2,626.47 for public safety.

Commissioners will meet next at 10 a.m. Sept. 9.