HARRISBURG — As Westmoreland County on Friday prepared letters to its unions about employee furloughs, a nearly broke Armstrong County Area Agency on Aging pondered senior center closures and in Washington County there were concerns about special needs children.

All three troubling scenarios — and others in county governments across the state — can be traced to the failure of leaders in Harrisburg to approve a 2025-26 budget, 81 days after the previous budget expired. The lack of a budget has halted state payments in critical areas of human services and other segments of government.

“Every county in Pennsylvania is struggling with a budget because we don’t have any answers from the state,” said Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman.

No full-chamber votes by lawmakers are scheduled

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