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WILKES-BARRE — Teetering on the brink of a county-wide government shutdown that could grind essential services to a screeching halt, residents on Wednesday were divided on their support for Harrisburg lawmakers and the Luzerne County officials who sought to send them a message.
County Councilman Harry Haas on Tuesday unexpectedly cast the sixth and deciding vote needed to reject a plan to borrow $20 million needed to avoid the shutdown, calling out state officials who put the county in a fix by failing to pass a state budget. The state has been without a spending plan since July 1.
County residents on Wednesday were split in their support of elected officials.
“I stand by him because he’s trying to help the people,” Mocanaqua resident Donna Blazick said of Gov. Tom Wolf.
State lawmakers in the past week have said they expect a budget will be worked out by Thanksgiving.
“They need to pass the budget, that’s the main thing,” said Blazick, 61. “It’s not just (Wolf) holding it up. They all need to work together.”
Nanticoke resident Harold Metzger, 33, said without such a demonstrative stance by some members of county council, Harrisburg lawmakers would remain lax in their efforts to come up with a state budget.
“People aren’t involved in government until it affects them,” Metzger said.
Others believe members of the Luzerne County Council should have acted to accept the $20 million loan, which council members said was needed to augment a depleted general fund that has been strained to keep state-funded human services programs afloat.
“They should have taken the loan,” said Raymond Matos, 45, of Wilkes-Barre. “At least it takes you out of the current situation.”
Matos’ mother, Carmen, is an employee at Child Care Information Specialists. Matos, 67, said she believed those most affected by the state budget impasse were the children whose school districts have been forced to weather the lack of funding.
“It’s the kids that are suffering,” she said.