Chester County Commissioners Call on Governor, General Assembly to Finalize Budget

At yesterday's Chester County Board of Commissioners public meeting, Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe passed a resolution urging Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania General Assembly to "prioritize their responsibilities and work collaboratively to finalize a budget without further delay." The state's 2025-26 budget impasse, which began in July, is approaching the end of its third month with no apparent progress towards a resolution.

Commissioner Chair Josh Maxwell said, "It's paramount that governments run predictably and reliably. The lack of a state budget, particularly this overdue, jeopardizes services not just for the Commonwealth but also for counties, school districts, and municipalities. I urge our state elected officials to act in earnest so that critical services are not further jeopardized."

Chester County's fiscal strength has enabled it to meet 100% of the costs related to Human Services' programs and services since July, despite not receiving any funding reimbursement from the state.

As a result of the budget impasse, starting October 1, 2025, Chester County will reduce provider payments from state funding sources to 75% of the invoiced amount, with the expectation that the remaining 25% will be paid upon resolution of the budget impasse. The service payments to be reduced include residential services and in-home service providers. Some services, such as the County's Children, Youth and Families foster parents and Aging Services family caregivers, will continue to be fully funded. Furloughs of County employees are not currently anticipated.

"Every day this budget impasse drags on, it puts our children, seniors, and families at risk," said Commissioner Marian Moskowitz. "Chester County has stepped up for three months to cover 100% of these vital services, but that is not sustainable without state support. We are asking Harrisburg to do what every county is required to do - pass a balanced budget on time ­- because people's lives and livelihoods depend on it. Our residents cannot be left in limbo while politics stalls progress."

Commissioner Eric Roe said, "We value the work that all our providers do and regret any hardship this may create for them. Working together, we can continue to serve the residents of Chester County even during this difficult time."

"We take financial management seriously in Chester County, which is why we are the only county in Pennsylvania with a AAA bond rating from all three rating agencies," said David Byerman, Chester County CEO. "We've developed a variety of contingency plans that allow us to continue operations unabated during this budget crisis. We have planned ahead for exactly this kind of scenario."