As Legislature and Governor Debate, More Pennsylvania State Workers Hit Food Banks

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/11610

More Pennsylvania state workers only received partial paychecks on Friday as the Governor and the state legislature continue to debate how to close a budget gap. The budget is now more than three weeks late and as a result the state has limited funds with which to pay workers. As a result many state workers not knowing when the two sides will be able to agree on a budget have been forced to stand in line at food banks. According to the office of Governor Ed Rendell roughly 60 percent of state workers have taken advantage of a no-interest short term loan program, but that only helps state workers with qualifying credit ratings. All workers will receive owed back pay once a budget is passed and it could take up to a week after the budget is passed for paychecks to go out to some workers.