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Governor Announces Implementation of Budget Gap Proposal After the passage of a scaled-down Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) extension on August 12, the governor’s office released a very general “draft plan” to close the shortfall. The governor’s plan included a 1.9 percent department cut across the board, resulting in a cut of $57.95 million to the Department of Public Welfare (DPW), of which $38.313 million are for county/local programs. The plan also included a cut of $2.026 million for the Department of Health (DOH), of which $750,000 comes from county/local programs. There has been no program specific information released. Since the budget has already been passed, authority to make adjustments rests solely in the governor’s hands, although Rendell has pledged to work in cooperation with the General Assembly. However, on August 18 Rendell held a press conference at which he announced his intent to move forward with implementing the 1.9 percent cut, citing a lack of response from caucus leadership. PCPA and the MH/MR Coalition worked quickly to develop a press release and to communicate the Coalition’s concerns with both Rendell and the General Assembly within hours of the press release. The letters urge the governor and legislative leadership not to balance the budget on the backs of people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and drug and alcohol disorders, citing the crucial importance of the safety net, the chronic underfunding of and growing demand for community services, and the previous cuts sustained by these programs. PCPA and the MH/MR Coalition will continue to press the Governor and the General Assembly to protect these vulnerable Pennsylvanians and will communicate further with members. PCPA urges members to share the press release with local newspapers and to use the talking points in the letters to communicate with legislators. Further questions may be addressed to Anne Leisure.
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