As Pennsylvania’s partisan budget impasse drags on – and a federal government shutdown threatens to stem what little revenue trickles to help them, victims of domestic violence are among the most vulnerable casualties.
In addition to calls to pass a budget now from The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV), public school districts and educators, county governments and others across the commonwealth, PCADV wants legislators to pass a state Budget Bridge Loan Program interest rate waiver, which would be made available to domestic violence providers to serve clients.
PCADV continues to wait for nearly $11 million in reimbursements from the state for costs incurred since July 1, according to a PCADV press release. State legislators failed to pass a budget by the June 30 deadline. PCADV also stated that the current 4.5% interest rate is untenable given it would be an unbudgeted expense.
Michael Waterloo, PCADV director of communications said in an email even if the loan interest is waived, the legislation would need to go through the state appropriations process next week.
“We want the legislators to agree to a budget. Pennsylvania is the final state without one and the chess games with people’s lives must end,” Waterloo said.
Waterloo said if legislators can’t agree to a budget immediately, PCADV urges them to support the legislation Ward has set forward to waive bridge loan interest.
“There are 2,500 people who work at the 59 state programs who could lose their jobs,” he said.
Right now, every minute matters.
Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Republican Kim Ward (SD-39) has introduced legislation for a vote – expected Wednesday, Ward’s office confirmed – to forgive the interest on budget bridge loans to support victims of domestic violence.
“Treasurer [Stacy] Garrity made a bold and important move to help keep monies flowing to counties by giving them the ability to borrow from the treasury at the lowest rate possible during this budget impasse,” Ward said in an email.
She said state law requires interest rate charges on lending – even when money continues to flow into the treasury and collects interest – during intervals when it is not dispersed.
“We plan to offer legislation to provide forgiveness on the interest for those loans to ensure services don’t suffer while we continue to finalize a state budget,” Ward said.
According toi Scott L. Bohn, executive director of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, “These organizations are not merely support services—they are lifelines for survivors and essential partners in ensuring justice, safety and healing.”
Since July 1, PCADV and its network of 59 member programs “have continued to provide life-saving services across the commonwealth despite the budget impasse,” the press release said.
How much longer programs can continue without funding – while state and national budget haggling continues –remains to be seen.
Waterloo said some programs have already had to lay off staff and are at risk of shutting their doors because of the delayed budget and resulting funding gaps.
“Domestic violence victims and survivors count on the work of programs and shelters. They are essential services that need to be treated as such,” Waterloo said.
