No good Pa. budget news for Bucks commissioners

PERKASIE Like counties throughout the state, Bucks County is facing intense budget pressure due to the state budget impasse in Harrisburg.

So far, the county has been spending between $6 million and $7 million per month to keep afloat social service programs that are usually funded by the state.

At Wednesday's bi-weekly county commissioners public meeting, no news was bad news.

"No news of any progress" on the state budget, said Brian Hessenthaler, the county's chief operating officer. "If there is progress, we're not hearing about it."

The meeting at the Ivy Hill Therapeutic Equestrian Center was the 12th in a series of "on the road" meetings away from the county building in Doylestown. The annual circuit began in April, and all but one of the meetings since have been held in towns throughout Bucks County.

Tuesday's was the last meeting away from Doylestown until a scheduled Dec. 16 meeting at the Bucks County Visitor Center in Bensalem.

- Matthew Nussbaum