MIFFLINTOWN - Taxpayers will suffer if state legislators cut funding for mandated programs in the 2009-2010 budget, Juniata County Commissioners announced Tuesday.
The commissioners urged legislators to create a "responsible budget" by continuing to fund the required programs, according to Resolution No. 2009-2, which the local board adopted Tuesday.
"The Pennsylvania Senate has passed a budget bill with devastating cuts to core government services, including mandated and entitlement services that must be provided regardless of available funding from the state," according to the proclamation.
For a rural county like Juniata, the cuts could be devastating, Commissioner Teresa O'Neal said. Many county programs are run by only one employee, so some staffing cuts are not possible, she said.
The cuts are across the board, including the judicial system and public safety, community and economic development, the environment, agriculture and tourism, according to the proclamation.
One major concern is a possible $45,000 cut in library funding for Juniata, O'Neal said. With a county unemployment rate at 8.3 percent, many families turn to the library to use its free resources, she said.
If the Senate budget passes, "we'll have to make some very tough decisions about if we can even continue those programs," O'Neal said. "These types of cuts are going to affect our constituents because they have nowhere else to go."
According to the resolution, "The Juniata County Board of Commissioners has an obligation and responsibility to balance its budget while relying nearly exclusively on the property tax for local revenue."
Commissioner Dale Shelley said he is frustrated with the unfunded mandates created by Harrisburg legislators.
"They sit there in Harrisburg and come up with new programs every year, then they can't find the funding," Shelley said. "They have to quit mandating services, because taxpayers can only pay so much."
Commissioner Jeffrey Zimmerman agreed, saying that the state has not lived up to its responsibilities to fund the required programs.
"A budget that does not fund their mandates is irresponsible. I encourage folks to contact their legislators and ask them to do the right thing with the budget," Zimmerman said. "Hopefully, this will have a positive impact."
A copy of the adopted resolution will be sent to Gov. Edward Rendell, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
Also during the meeting, the commissioners honored representatives from the Juniata County 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Club with a proclamation for the club's 15th anniversary and the Seeing Eye Dog program's 80th anniversary.
"Since 1994, the Juniata County 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Club, in 59 loving families, has raised more than 150 puppies," according to the proclamation.
The first Juniata County family to raise a puppy was Commissioner Zimmerman and his family, club organizer Jean Swartz said. Zimmerman's daughter Annie (Zimmerman) Hardin, with her two children Joel and Lily, joined the group Tuesday.
The commissioners proclaimed the week of June 22 to 29 as the Seeing Eye's 80th Anniversary Week to bring awareness to the organization.
When the puppies reach the age of 7 or 8 weeks, they are delivered to the homes of volunteer families who care for the animals until they are 16 to 18 months old. The families teach the dogs basic obedience and expose them to a variety of social situations that the dogs will later encounter when they work with the blind.
The commissioners offered their congratulations to the club and asked the children questions about their role in training the puppies.
In other business, the commissioners announced a new resource available for older adults and residents with disabilities who want to check the status of their property tax/rent rebate applications.
People may view their application status at www.papropertytaxrelief.com by typing in their Social Security number, anticipated rebate amount and birth date. Applicants may use the Web site to confirm claim status, rebate amount and the date a rebate is expected to be mailed or direct deposited. Information also is available by calling to (888)-PATAXES.
