Butler County does not plan on furloughs or layoffs to mitigate effects of the state budget impasse, though agencies are still being hit hard, according to county commissioners.

Butler County’s current financial state puts it in a spot where it doesn’t have to take measures as severe as some other Western Pennsylvania counties are amid the impasse.

County commissioners Leslie Osche, Kim Geyer and Kevin Boozel all said they don’t plan on county employees being furloughed or bills going unpaid. However, they are still paying close attention to what happens with budget funds that could help their agencies.

“Our child and youth services receives a lot of funding. The aging agency receives a lot of state funding. Mostly human services,” Geyer said. “That includes drug and alcohol, intellectual disabilities, mental health.”

The impasse just reached three months after the Pennsylvania General Assembly failed to pass a budget by the state constitutionally mandated June 30 deadline to be sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro for consideration and possible signing.

Around the state, school districts, municipalities and agencies for those in need are feeling the affects of the impasse.

Butler and Karns City area school districts’ superintendents recently said they are looking into loans. Wait lists are being maintained for services at Butler County’s Area Agency on Aging.

“I think one of the largest agencies affected, our children and youth services, 80 (percent) is state, we pick up (the) other 20, that could have a big impact in near future,” Boozel said. “Aging funds are in jeopardy as we speak, but we’re seeing counties elsewhere that are closing senior centers that are in more trouble.”

Elsewhere in the state, drastic cuts are already happening.

In late September, Armstrong County’s commissioners announced what they described in a news release as a series of “immediate and painful measures,” including employee furloughs and reductions in services due to the budget impasse.

The measures included closing a majority of senior centers. Children, Youth & Family Services also will see a freeze on support contracts, foster care payments and reimbursements, and employee expense reimbursements. The release said the state funding covers 80% of Armstrong County’s Children, Youth & Family Services and 100% of its aging services.

“The lack of a state budget has halted the distribution of critical funding for state-mandated human service programs, forcing the county to take drastic actions to mitigate the financial shortfall,” the Armstrong County commissioners’ release said.

TribLive reported Sept. 29 nearby Westmoreland County’s commissioners canceled their public meetings set for this past Tuesday and Thursday due to the ongoing impasse.

“It’s impossible to do any business if you don’t have money,” Commissioner Ted Kopas said in an interview with TribLive.

Also, Westmoreland County has furloughed 125 workers.

Though its agencies are also being affected, Butler County does not plan to resort to measures like furloughs, senior center closures or payment freezes. The county also does not plan to take out any loans or line of credit to make up for missing funds.

“It’s business as usual here in Butler County,” Geyer said. “We have no intention of closing senior centers. We have no intention of borrowing money through credit or a revenue anticipation note. We have sufficient funding at the time, and we’re going to make it work.”

Geyer credits this with past efforts to build up reserves and maintain conservative spending levels. More broadly, Butler County’s growth has helped it maintain solid financial positioning, helping it deal with an emergency or lack of funds.

“We’re very fortunate as we continue to grow, our tax base grows with it. Along with growth we have a 98-99% compliance rate on our taxes, which is good. People who live here pay their taxes,” Geyer said. “We have always been conservative with financial management and able to keep on going and put aside some reserves for an emergency if need be.

“Hopefully, things get resolved this month and everybody can move forward.”

For the 2025 calendar year, Butler County planned a roughly $81.48 million general fund budget, part of about $257 million in total funds.

Beyond the ordeal of furloughing employees and cutting services to those in need, alternate solutions to dealing with the impasse are not perfect either. If a government body, such as Butler County, were to take out a revenue anticipation note bond, it would not be reimbursed by the state for interest paid on the loan. The county would still pay in the end.

Geyer and Boozel said they have received updates from state legislators over time and are simply waiting for word the budget has been passed and normal operations can resume. Meanwhile, county leadership starts its own budget season shortly, holding budget meetings this week. It will have to pass its own budget the end of December.

“At this time, there is enough in our reserves, but any disruption to services is detrimental to those in need of help. We can’t turn it on and off like a switch,” Boozel said.

All three commissioners have called on state government to get the budget passed.

“Nothing has changed. We will continue to pay our bills,” Osche said. “We will not punish our staff or our providers because of the failure of the governor and legislature to get their job done.”