Dems: Senate Republicans 'can't get their own house in order'

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(The Center Square) - Senate Democrats are urging Republicans to stop “playing gubernatorial politics” and come up with the 26 votes required to pass a state budget.

Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Pittsburgh, emphasized that Pennsylvanians will be “feeling the pinch” of delayed funding in the state government even more urgently than the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Costa said that Treasurer Stacy Garrity, the presumed Republican nominee to vie against incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro for the state’s executive office, cannot offer loans to institutions on behalf of the state. He said that the move would be a violation of the state’s constitution which vests the power of appropriations in the hands of the legislature.

“It has been Treasury's legal decisions for at least 10 years that the state Treasury lacks the authority to disburse Commonwealth funds and make loans during a budget impasse unless certain conditions exist, and ladies and gentlemen, those conditions do not exist,” said Costa.  

“Nothing has changed in the Pennsylvania Constitution or our fiscal code since the 2015 budget impasse that would justify reversing Treasury's legal positions,” he continued. “There’s one thing, though that has changed — the Treasurer recently announced her campaign for governor and sees a political benefit in injecting herself into a bunch of conversations.”

Senate Republicans have put forward a bill that would allow Garrity to waive interest rates on loans provided during budget impasses. Costa lambasted majority leaders for including the 2026-2027 budget year in the bill, saying it demonstrates that the group already anticipates holding up a budget in the next legislative session.

In order for a budget to pass the Senate, 26 votes are required. With 27 members, Senate Republicans have the power to pass such a bill unilaterally, though it will go nowhere if it won’t also receive a majority vote in the Democratic-led House.

Asked if he thought Republicans were stalling on the budget because they do not have the votes required in their own caucus to pass a bill, Costa said, “I clearly think that’s the problem. I don’t think there’s any question, but they don’t want to recognize that or negotiate with us.”

Sen. Steve Santarsiero, D-Doylestown, weighed in on historical precedent from previous impasses.

“In 2009 and 2015 when we last had budget impasses, we were staring at shortfalls in terms of our revenue stream, and that is what caused the impasses in those two years,” said Santarsiero. “We have nearly an $11 billion surplus. Now, listen, there can always be differences of opinion about how the money should be spent, but the fact that we’re here on Oct 6th without a budget under those circumstances is absolutely inexcusable.”

Despite the current surplus, the Independent Fiscal Office has warned of a structural deficit caused by higher spending projections than expected revenue. Republicans have looked for cuts to balance the budget, while Democrats have floated recreational adult marijuana use and skills game taxes to help close the gap.

Costa also said that Republicans were lying about Democrats wanting to raise taxes to increase revenue, adding that, “They’re the only ones talking about tax increases, not us.” He called the lies “unconscionable.”

The parallels between the state and federal governments’ inability to negotiate budgets are trying the patience of an exhausted electorate, with Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Reading, noting that local foundations are donating money to keep programs like Meals on Wheels functioning for older Pennsylvanians.

“I don’t know when compromise became a dirty word, but the fact is we need to get something done, and I am tired, tired of explaining to people why we’re in the situation that we’re in,” said Schwank.

Sen. Patty Kim, D-Harrisburg, said she got a call from a school superintendent Monday saying that if there wasn’t a budget by December, schools would begin shutting their doors.

“The pressure points are the people of Pennsylvania. They are going to be hurting without a budget" said Kim. Contrasting the state with the federal government, she said, “In Pennsylvania, we want to stay open, and we want to make sure that our kids can go to school every single day.”