West Chester, Pa (October 7, 2025) — State Senator Carolyn Comitta issued the following statement on the state budget impasse and the federal government shutdown:
“Like many Pennsylvanians, I am very concerned about the state budget impasse and the federal government shutdown.
First, please know that Pennsylvania government is open and running. Our state parks, legislators’ offices, and governmental agencies are open, and we’re working. My district office staff is here for you. We are doing whatever we can to help impacted constituents and families during this chaotic and uncertain time.
I want to reemphasize that I remain ready and eager to vote on a state budget agreement that works for Chester County communities, families, workers, and businesses. We support a budget plan that funds vital services without raising taxes.
The Senate is in session this week, with additional session days scheduled for later this month. Hopefully, there will be an opportunity to pass a budget during that time. However, given the current lack of dialogue and ongoing atmosphere of hyper-partisanship, I am not optimistic.
Unlike our federal government, Pennsylvania has a divided legislature. Although I am not directly involved in budget negotiations, I believe that Pennsylvania House and Senate Democrats, as well as the Governor, have shown that they are willing to compromise to end this impasse. A compromise, however, requires both sides to make sacrifices and concessions.
At the federal level, the tone coming from Congress and the White House is not only unproductive – it’s toxic. Although the makeup is different from Pennsylvania’s (the Republicans control the House, Senate, and the Presidency), there are some striking parallels. When one side decides that it must win at all costs on every issue, we all lose. When one side decides gridlock and shutdowns are worth it to win political points, we all pay the price. That’s what’s happening right now.
Voters elect public officials to work in their best interest – that means working together, not trying to actively disrespect, humiliate, and destroy each other every step of the way. Right now, because of the lack of a state budget, schools, childcare centers, mental health providers, libraries, food banks, crime victim services, rape crisis centers, and more are facing cuts, layoffs, and disruptions in critical services.
Meanwhile, the federal government shutdown has further complicated and exacerbated the impact on these and other services, as the Commonwealth receives and relies on significant federal funding to support them, not to mention approximately 10,000 employees.
I sincerely hope the concerns heightened by the federal government shutdown motivate my colleagues in the Senate majority to come to the negotiating table in good faith and end the state budget stalemate. We have 23 Democratic Senators in the state legislature who are ready to vote on a budget agreement that works for Pennsylvania.
I entered public service for our children and grandchildren – to create a better, safer, healthier, and cleaner world for this generation and the next. That requires leaders working together to find common ground for the common good. Sadly, these days, that seems increasingly uncommon. The state budget stalemate and the federal government shutdown aren’t serving our children or grandchildren. Frankly, they’re not setting a very good example for them either.
At the same time, I appreciate my colleagues in government who are. Reaching across the aisle to solve problems is the way forward and it starts with respect and relationships. I thank our representatives in Congress who, like U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan and U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, are striving to keep the spirit of bipartisanship alive by appealing to their counterparts as fellow elected officials and public servants. That’s how we’re going to cut through this mess, and that’s how we should all be treating each other – not as Republicans or Democrats or political foes – as people, as neighbors, as Pennsylvanians, and Americans. At the end of the day, our political differences and cultural battles are small compared to what we can gain by working together and what’s at stake if we don’t.
The state budget impasse and the federal government shutdown are opportunities for elected officials to demonstrate that we can still work together. This is a chance to show that we care more about our constituents than winning points, settling scores, or advancing political ambitions. Let’s get back to work and do our jobs.”