PA Budget Stiffs Counties on DA Salaries
By Chris Forshey
Jul 2, 2008, 07:58
There appears to be more bad news for Blair County’s bottom-line.
Pennsylvania’s new state budget does not include any money to reimburse counties for the full-time salaries of district attorneys. Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio makes about $160-thousand a year. Commissioner Diane Meling called it a blow to the county’s already tight finances. She the county will now be required to find a way to foot the bill.
She says lawmakers in Harrisburg failed to do their jobs.
Rendell Administration spokesman Chuck Ardo blamed the funding flap on state lawmakers. Ardo tells WRTA News they had been charged with finding a line item to pay for the salaries, but failed to do so. State Senator John Eichelberger says he’s also been trying to address the issue, but so far he’s just not having any luck.
