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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Stephany Dugan |
State Rep. Ron Buxton |
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Buxton: stopgap measure needed to avoid furloughs
HARRISBURG, July 6 – State Rep. Ronald Buxton, D-Dauphin, said today he has drafted and will introduce legislation designed to be a stopgap measure that would allow the Commonwealth to pay its employees, who currently face being furloughed, through July 30.
If a budget deal is not reached by midnight Sunday, as many as 24,000 state employees could be furloughed on Monday.
“In just three days, too many state workers who I deem essential to keeping our government running will be without a job and without pay,” Buxton said. “As a governing body, we need to step up to the plate and do what we can to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“This is a matter for which we should put partisan politics aside. While the budget negotiations continue with the General Assembly and the governor, it is important that our state employees are not used as bargaining chips or pawns during this stalemate.”
The bill would be very similar to the measure used in 1991, which allowed the governor to use one-twelfth of the previous fiscal year’s budget to pay the salaries of furloughed state employees.
“There is still time to reach a budget resolution before the anticipated furloughs start, but precious time is ticking,” Buxton said. “No one -- not the workers, not their families, nor Pennsylvanians who rely on state services -- can afford for these furloughs to happen.”
Agencies and employees not affected by the potential furloughs are those essential to public health, safety and welfare.
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