Cuts will cost Pa. millions
Education and defense would be among the biggest losers in Pennsylvania under automatic cuts to the federal budget set to take hold this week, according to a report that the White House issued Sunday as it seeks to avoid the impending economic fallout.
The White House compiled the numbers from federal agencies and its own budget office. The numbers are based only on the $85 billion in cuts for this fiscal year, from March to September, that are set to take effect Friday.
Officials said whether states could move money around would depend on individual state budget structures and specific programs.
Gov. Tom Corbett has said the cuts would be a loss of about $240 million for Pennsylvania, and officials have said repeatedly that any federal money lost would not be replaced by state funds.
According to the White House, Pennsylvania would lose:
EDUCATION
• About $26.4 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 360 teacher and aide jobs at risk and affecting about 29,000 students and 90 schools.
• About $21.4 million in funds for about 260 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.
• Aid to help about 3,160 low-income students finance the costs of college as well as work-study jobs for about 2,290 students.
• Money for Head Start and Early Head Start services for about 2,300 children.
ENVIRONMENT
• More than $5.7 million to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste.
• More than $1.4 million in grants for fish and wildlife protection.
DEFENSE
• About 26,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed.
• About $7 million to operate Army bases in the commonwealth.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
• About $509,000 for law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.
EMPLOYMENT
• About $866,000 for job search assistance, referral, and placement, affecting around 36,860 people.
• Child care for as many as 1,800 disadvantaged and vulnerable children.
HEALTH
• $361,000 for vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B, affecting about 5,280 children.
• More than $1.2 million to help the commonwealth respond to public health threats such as infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological events.
• About $2.9 million to help prevent and treat substance abuse, meaning about 3,500 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs.
• About $639,000 for health departments in the commonwealth, resulting in around 16,000 fewer HIV tests.
• About $271,000 for services to victims of domestic violence, affecting about 1,000 victims.
• About $849,000 to provide meals for seniors.
