Westmoreland County Commissioners are putting the brakes on spending.

That makes sense. The county is not exactly swimming in cash. In December 2023, commissioners pivoted toward a last-minute tax increase to address shortfalls. Both the Republican majority and Democratic minority on the board agreed the county was in financial difficulty at that time.

But a 32.5% property tax increase was not enough to keep things flush in the face of other money troubles at higher levels.

The state has not yet passed the 2025-26 budget, which was due June 30. As we approach three months without the Pennsylvania spending plan in place, it begins to affect the counties, municipalities, school districts and other agencies that depend upon it.

“The biggest problem we have now is we do not have the proper cash flow,” Commissioners Chairman Sean Kertes said. “We’re hoping by the end of the month they’ll have a budget passed.”

Hope springs eternal. Money does not.

With that in mind, commissioners want county departments to limit spending as the first rung on a ladder of mandated cost containment. Some of those halts may not be a problem, like nonessential travel. By its very nature, it’s not necessary.

Others could be more difficult. There will be a hiring freeze. There will be no more paid overtime.

That might not seem like an issue — just buckle down and work with what you have.

But the county has spent much of the last year or so clawing its way out of personnel issues, including concerted pushes for hiring in areas like the county jail. There was a rebuilding of the staff at a newly reopened juvenile detention center. There is a perennial need for enough staff at Westmoreland Manor nursing home.

And one of the ways that these problems of enough staff were bandaged was to stem the bleeding by using existing staff with overtime.

To have the first things mentioned as a fix for the state’s failure to pass a budget be hiring and overtime has the potential to be alarming. Westmoreland County could end up dealing with the consequences long after a budget is reached — assuming a budget is ever reached.

Lawmakers and the governor owe it to the government agencies below them — and every Pennsylvanian — to bring this to an end.

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