Attention now turns to the FY 2016-2017 budget process, with the start of the next fiscal year looming just three months away. As of this writing, about two-thirds of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have passed resolutions supporting CCAP's top priority on the commonwealth budget and human services funding. Information on budget progress, including a map of counties approving resolutions, is on CCAP's Budget News and Updates web page.

Importantly, the veto creates uncertainty regarding FY 2015-2016 fourth quarter Children and Youth payments, caught up in the rebalancing initiative. Under rebalancing, the fourth quarter is to be appropriated as part of the FY 2016-2017 budget. House Bill 1327 contained language to assure that counties would still get their fourth quarter C&Y payment in the event of another budget impasse, necessary for both Act 30 planning purposes and for assurance of uninterrupted C&Y services delivery.

 

Rather than attempt a veto override, House and Senate leaders instead indicated they would move promptly on legislation needed to address issues created by the veto. It is anticipated that they will do so when they reconvene the week of April 4 by moving HB 1589, now on the House table calendar. The bill will require amendment to encompass several necessary allocations, and counties should contact their legislators to emphasize the critical need to include the C&Y rebalancing language in the amendment.

The agencies also commented on state and school pension costs that are not being fully funded by the state budget, saying that future willingness to address this issue will be a major factor in the commonwealth's credit profile. Demographic and fiscal conditions, which could include slow tax revenue growth, coupled with estimated mandated spending increases over the long term, were also cited as factors that would continue to worsen the structural deficit absent policy changes. Another impasse related to the upcoming FY 2016-2017 budget could have further negative consequences on the state's credit outlook.

At the same time, the bill assures that investments of taxpayer dollars are subject to important safeguards by requiring them to meet sound financial criteria and to be procured from institutions that have met high quality ratings, thus limiting risk exposure. The new law requires a local government investment pool that invests in one of these products to file an annual investment report with the Department of Community and Economic Development.

CCAP submitted written comments on SB 411, available at www.pacounties.org by clicking on Government Relations and then Testimony and Advocacy, emphasizing the balance needed among access, privacy and security concerns and supporting many of the bill's provisions.

CCAP submitted comments to the Committee, which can be found at www.pacounties.org by clicking on Government Relations, them Testimony and Advocacy.

Legislation to offer protections for individual information related to 911 calls was recently reported from the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. House Bill 1310, introduced by Rep. Maria Donatucci (D-Philadelphia), would prohibit county 911 centers from releasing a record containing the name, address, telephone number, and location of a 911 caller. The legislation gives additional guidance on meeting the requirements of the Right-to-Know Law, which stipulates that 911 call logs are open records. While HB 1310 would not change that requirement, it would clarify that personal information attached to call records would not be released. Changes to the Right to Know Law related to this matter are also pending in SB 411 (see the article above). CCAP noted in a support memo to the committee that the public's primary interest is in determining whether counties are adequately and promptly providing 911 service, which is satisfied by the call log requirement.

Throughout the month of June CCAP policy committees will be holding their annual conference call meetings to consider resolutions amending the PA County Platform, in anticipation of a membership discussion and vote in conjunction with the CCAP Annual Conference in early August. County officials are encouraged to begin reviewing the Platform now and to send any proposed resolutions to Government Relations staff at PACountiesGR@pacounties.org, or to discuss them with CCAP policy committee chairs.