CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — Local school districts say it’s becoming increasingly difficult to even pay for the essentials as we are now three-and-a-half months into the state budget impasse.
Our Brock Owens spoke with administrators about the struggles the impasse is causing, and steps that districts now have to take.
School districts across Pennsylvania are missing out on millions of dollars as the state budget impasse continues.
Some districts are already borrowing money, and others say they may have to soon.
“The longer it goes, the more pain that’s going to be felt by counties and school districts,” says Central Cambria Superintendent Jason Moore.
More than three and a half billion dollars was supposed to be distributed to school districts, in July through September, but the state budget still not being passed, months later, is withholding that money for schools that are already struggling.
“Even with an on-time budget, we were still looking at a million dollar deficit because the state increases have not kept up with the inflationary increases,” Moore adds.
And even schools that say they had savings are also running thin.
“That interest that we could have earned on our capital reserves, we’re now just depleting those reserves to make payroll and cover regular operating expenses like transportation and utilities,” says Cambria Heights Superintendent Ken Kerchenske.
“We’ve suspended non-essential spending, our teachers right now, they’re not going to be able to go to professional development trainings, things that would definitely benefit students because we have to make sure that we’re able to keep the lights on and keep our teachers paid,” Moore stated.
Right now, it’s a fight for school districts to not take loans out from a bank.
“At Cambria Heights, we think we can make until about December, and then we will have to look at some type of short-term borrowing. We would be borrowing money and paying interest on it before our funds are released by the state.”
Elsewhere, locally, Greater Johnstown School District says it has already taken out a loan for $10 million to make payroll.
“We’re trying to hold off on that as much as we can, but if it goes on much longer we and just about every school district around us is going to have to go and take those loans out.”
Officials add that combining how long the state budget impasse is lasting and inflated prices, especially of utilities and insurance, is making this one of the more difficult challenges for administrators in recent memory.