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Would it be a good idea …
… for local businesses to rescue rape crisis centers and other social services by providing temporary, no-interest loans?
The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape made that pitch last week, suggesting it as a stopgap measure to sustain critical programs during the ongoing state budget standoff. Without an agreed-upon budget since July 1, Pennsylvania’s government has frozen the disbursement of not only certain state funds, but also federal dollars.
That means money typically made available through the Department of Health, the Violence Against Women Act and the Victims of Crime Act has not reached Pennsylvania’s rape crisis programs, including those offered through the Victims Resource Center in Wilkes-Barre.
In a news release, coalition Chief Executive Officer Delilah Rumburg said, “Many rape crisis centers have already remortgaged property, taken loans and incurred costs associated with these emergency measures in order to stay open and continue to service community members in need.”
Locally, the Victims Resource Center has so far tapped two banks for lines of credit, its director told the Times Leader. However, only one of those funding streams is interest-free, and only for the first six months. The budget impasse recently entered its fifth month.
Can businesses reasonably be expected to shoulder the load until a state budget gets approved? Should nonprofit organizations be compelled to resort to these financial arrangements?
Are zero-interest loans a clever way to circumvent the problem stemming from Harrisburg? Or will they only perpetuate the problem?
If you have a better idea for propping up nonprofits during these droughts, share it. Ditto if you have notions on how to curtail lengthy budget battles. Give us your feedback by sending a letter to the editor or posting comments to this editorial at timesleader.com.
Likewise, tell us your ideas for improving the community and making area residents’ lives better. Maybe we’ll spotlight your suggestion in a future editorial and ask readers, “Would it be a good idea to …”