Jewish agencies worried about Allegheny County Council’s proposed budget cuts
“If the county executive’s proposal doesn’t go through, we’ll see many of the agencies with whom we collaborate have to make some tough decisions,” Golin said.
Allegheny County’s next budget may have a negative impact on nonprofits across the region, including those in the Jewish community.
At issue is a 46.5% property tax increase that Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato has included in her proposed $3.1 billion 2025 budget. Innamorato has said that the increase is the only way to effectively address stagnant state funding and increased operating costs, as well as the cessation of pandemic-era federal funds.
The property tax hike represents a 2.2 mills increase for homeowners. For a property assessed at $100,000, 2.2 mills would come out to $220 per year in tax.
Allegheny County Council has countered Innamorato’s proposed budget and tax increase with its own. It includes a 28.5% increase, or 1.35 mills, and is at least $70 million less than Innamorato’s budget.
Included in the council’s proposal is a nearly $21 million cut from the Department of Human Services, meaning it would spend $4 million less than under Innamorato’s plan and fail to qualify for $17 million in matching state funds.
That is where things get tough for Jewish organizations.
Nancy Gale, executive director of The Branch, said 20% of the organization’s budget comes directly from the county and much of that funding would be at risk if Innamorato’s budget doesn’t pass.
The Branch, which supports individuals with psychiatric, intellectual or developmental disabilities, has a contract with the county for various programs, Gale said. As an example, she cited money paid by the county for services provided by the Sally and Howard Levin Clubhouse, a licensed psychiatric and social rehabilitation program.
The Branch currently receives $70,000 for services provided at the Clubhouse. That sum hasn’t increased in more than a decade despite an increase in services.
“Now, the county is saying that those funds could be cut entirely if the budget that Sara Innamorato has proposed does not pass,” Gale said.
Gale said that while The Branch won’t turn away people needing services from The Clubhouse, budgets cuts likely would lead to more costly hospitalizations and to more people being unhoused.
“You have more people in distress that we’re preventing with the services we provide,” she said.
“So, it’s really shortsighted and in the end could cost more to help those people if we don’t provide the basic services we’re providing.”
Leaders at Jewish Family and Community Services, another nonprofit, are also concerned about Allegheny County Council’s proposed budget.
Jordan Golin, JFCS president and CEO, said there will need to be significant cuts across the county if the council’s budget is approved.
“We’ve spoken to representatives of the Department of Human Services as they’ve been trying to figure out, if that compromised proposal passes, where we would be, what kind of shape we would be in,” he said. “They would have to cut all family centers, all out-of-school programs, all gun violence prevention and intervention programs. The list goes on.”
Programs like Meals on Wheels, senior centers and legal representation for children in the welfare system would all have to deal with budget cuts, as well, he said.
JFCS, Golin said, is most heavily dependent on county funding for its ISAC program — Immigration Services and Connections — a multi-agency collaboration that connects immigrants with resources and provides navigation support or service coordination, depending on the level of support needed.
The Jewish nonprofit holds the contract with the county and passes along funding to several other organizations with which it works.
“If the county executive’s proposal doesn’t go through, we’ll see many of the agencies with whom we collaborate have to make some tough decisions,” Golin said.
In fact, he said, the problems won’t stop with potential staff layoffs. Rather, he pointed out that the region has been experiencing continual population decline. One of the ways that loss has been tempered is through immigrants moving into the region. Without the ISAC program, he said, immigrants may not come or stay in Allegheny County, leading to long-term issues.
Golin is blunt about the impact of the potential cuts.
“We’re talking about the loss of basic support services for people who are literally dependent on those services in order for them to get by,” he said. “If childcare services are cut, that means parents need to cut their work hours in order to stay home with their kids, which means their financial situation is going to get worse. There’s a cascading effect of impact when a large number of human services are cut.”
While The Branch’s Gale understands people’s anxiety about a higher tax hike — it’s estimated that Innmorato’s budget will raise taxes $15 a month on a house assessed at the county’s median value of $110,400, and council’s would impose a more modest $11 or $12 increase — she said that might prove to be “penny-wise and pound-foolish.”
“Failing to raise this money could have a huge impact down the line,” she said. “You may not depend on those services, but your neighbor might. It’s very shortsighted to say we’ll cut them because we have to pay an extra $15 a month.”
Council is set to vote on its proposal at a Dec. 3 meeting.
Golin urges people to take action before then.
“People need to reach out to their County Council members and be an advocate before it’s too late,” he said.
The alternative, both Gale and Golin agree, could prove catastrophic.
“The thing to know is that the county provides vital services through a lot of organizations in the Jewish community and to have their work curtailed because county funding gets cut would be a real shame,” Gale said. “It would have a direct impact on the community.” PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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