One of the Republican senators who helped break a GOP filibuster Wednesday on the $26 billion measure designed to extend programs enacted in last year's federal economic stimulus law has provided some good advice for the nation's 50 states.

It's important that the states, especially Pennsylvania, heed her advice.

Following her vote on Wednesday that helped break the filibuster, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine said, "It's important to be able to provide this support to the states at a very critical time. I think it also should be done with the understanding that the states are going to have to begin to make some tough decisions."

Some Keystone State lawmakers might be quick to proclaim that tough decisions were made in their 2010-11 budget. However, the spending decisions made this year didn't ensure that Pennsylvania will be in any better financial shape next year.

Of course, much depends on the condition of the economy in the early months of 2011. But most Senate Republicans, who steadfastly opposed the $26 billion bill that was passed by the upper chamber on Thursday, were correct in observing that the bill could make the states ever-dependent on federal funds — if the federal government is willing to keep providing special aid.

Earlier this week, Gov. Ed Rendell warned that Pennsylvania's state and local governments would be forced to lay off a combined 12,500 public employees if Congress failed to pass the new measure and send more recession-related budget aid to the states. He said layoffs would be necessary even if the federal bill passed.

Under the new federal measure, on which the House is expected to give a final affirmative vote next week, Pennsylvania is to get about $600 million, with state school districts sharing another $380 million.

Overall, the $26 billion package would provide $16 billion to states to help pay their Medi-caid bills — helping to prevent budget cuts and layoffs elsewhere — and $10 billion for grants to school districts to forestall layoffs.

"This is about saving jobs that are in immediate danger," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "It will allow us to avoid layoffs, service cuts or tax increases and it will make sure our children don't walk through the schoolhouse doors this September to larger class sizes and fewer subjects."

However, Murray should have extended her comments to observations such as Snowe's. Barring a big economic revival that few in Washington are betting on at this point, the states will need to tighten their belts to avoid possibly much bigger financial difficulties next year.

For Pennsylvania and the other 49 states, Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins, also of Maine, did a great service by casting key votes to break the filibuster. Too bad their votes didn't also have the power to circumvent the financial woes that the states could experience if a similar measure is not on Congress' agenda next year.