Late last month, the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) imposed what it calls a temporary "pause" (you can read it here) on all federal financial assistance programs, at least to the extent permissible by law. This was supposedly being done to stop "financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal." The memo was rescinded after widespread confusion, but a White House spokesperson claims that a federal funding freeze remains in "full force and effect." So the sword of Damocles still hangs over the heads of state governments, local governments, nonprofits and the people who rely on these institutions for help.
Trump cultists love it. "Too many unjustly live off the government' Huge wake up call. Loving it." said one of my readers who is unaware that he, too, relies on this aid for many of the services he has come to expect, like police protection in Bethlehem. In a news conference, Mayor Willie Reynolds relies on $43.4 million from the federal government and budgets accordingly.
At last week's Northampton County Council meeting, Executive Lamont McClure explained what impact this freeze, if it really goes into effect, will have on the county. He indicated that, while this freeze supposedly would have no impact on funds that go directly to individuals (food stamps, social security), individuals who are cared for and assisted by federal dollars would have suffered.
Approximately 954 county employees - half of its workforce - are paid either fully or partially by federal dollars. The county would be forced to immediately furlough 610 workers, and they represent 72% of Human Services staff. These are the people who answer suicide calls and respond to complaints of child abuse and neglect. They are the people who protect seniors from predators who steal from them. It would have also hurt those who care for Gracedale's residents.
To make up the deficit in federal funds, the county would need to triple its current tax rate from 10.8 to 32 mills.
Human Services Director Sue Wandalowski noted that 20,000 people called crisis hotlines in 2023 and 2024.
40 comments:
Chicken little twins wee willie and McClueless made fools of themselves with their whining, and you are their head fear monger. As for the Bedlum police, maybe they will have to spend less time in the WAWA.
Let them eat cake.
Trump is doing what should have been done a long time ago, but the politicians are not real leaders and do not what is right for the country. By the way we do not care what you think of Trump Because you are a left-wing lunatic.
I'm comfortable with any freeze.
So, I must ask, did all of those expected local funding disasters actually happen? Well . . . . NO, they did not.
Relax. It'll get sorted out. FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants. This can't go on. It's going to take a little time to fix what Biden destroyed. Those of us who responsibly budget and pay bills understand this.
The best judge of who we are comes from those outside our circles. trump has already been described and cataloged by the world as a dictator. He admires and thrives on power, pomp, and bloviation. He’s been enabled by silver spoon wealth and encouraged by , suck ups, and selfish type dingleberries desiring acceptance. He’s an aging needy narcissist.
If Bethlehem can't run it's budget without millions in federal aid, let Bethlehem go bankrupt.
Thank God we have such a tremendously dedicated, compassionate and effective Human Services Director in Susan Wandalowski. She rivals the legendary Ron Heckman for competence in the space, and does it with less words.
Donald Trump is the biggest horses ass that ever held public office. What does that say about the loonies who voted for him.
Typical reaction. Instead of seeing the positive impact of finding abuse and ridiculous spending some want to emphasize fear
Perhaps norco and bethlehem should elect women. The 2 present so-called leaders act like it.
20,000 crisis hotline calls in 2 years. That should tell you all you need to know about the character of those who live of the government.
For 50 years we have heard from every politician on both sides about rooting out waste and fraud. Now someone is actually doing it. I’m not a “Trump cultist” I can’t stand the guy, but if you want to defend paying for transgender promotion in Ecuador and Seseme street in Iraq be my guest. I’m no longer a democrat, and if the party is going to survive you better start listening to Fetterman and guys like Ritchie Torres. Hating Trump isn’t policy. Paying Politico millions for taxpayer funded subscriptions, go ahead and defend that shit at your own peril. When you cut the pork the pigs are going to squeal.
Calling fellow Americans “Trump Cultists” is as divisive as Trump is. Two wrongs don’t make a right Bernie. You’re just as divisive as he is.
Then you are a complete moron. A freeze on federal funding is cutting off your nose to spite your face and will most certainly hurt you and the people you love, if you actually love anyone.
That is completely idiotic. Bethlehem writes its budget based on federal funding that has been committed, and often it is via a contract.
You can deny you are a Trump cultist but if you defend a federal freeze on everything including the federal dollars to pay to protect kids from sexual predators bc federal dollars were used to pay for Poitico subscriptions, that is what you are. Get used to it. The truth hurts.
Wee Willie is a disgrace!
Take a deep breath, it'll all work out!
You need help with your TDS!
100% It's the typical Liberal response
Finally, a Dem who makes sense- I couldn't agree with you more!!!!
Bernie, you’re mad at all this? Look no further than your Democrat party. The one I left because they’re off the rails. They way overplayed their COVID hand. They ran a guy that had cognitive issues and they covered it up. They forced him to choose a running mate based on gender and racial identity. Then they tried to run him again for reelection. When that didn’t work they were left with Harris the who pissed through a billion plus dollars but couldn’t string two sentences together. Carville is right, the party is a shell of its former self. Covering up Biden’s dementia was treasonous. You hate Trump. I don’t like him either but guess what he won! I don’t agree with everything he’s doing, but a full review of federal spending I’m all for. This shit at USAID, an agency that has a 50 billion dollar budget and no accountability, this is what needs to be done. Run by no other than Samantha Power an Obama acolyte. We’re 34 trillion dollars in debt! That’s a crisis. You have been a proponent of good government, so how can you be against a full review of the entire budget? Democrats are on the wrong side of 80/20 issues with this far left crap. They’re losing because they’re taking the wrong side of losing issues. They let the squad hijack the party my friend, and now they’re paying the price. Your hatred and anger are Blinding you. You don’t even realize your insulting more than half the country when you call people cultists. Unlike you, I’m willing to do a little less hand wringing and a little more listening. insult me all you want I really don’t care. Everyone is entitled to an opinion I guess. Just realize right now you’re just as bad as Trump with the name calling and divisiveness. You’re better than that. As far as the flow of federal dollars, until it happens it’s just speculation. They paused the spending to review it all. Let’s see what happens.
You haven't learned a F-ing thing from the election- "Orange Man Bad" isn't a policy!
I'm OK with a freeze for a period of time until we sort out what appears to be a lot of waste and corruption. Government went away for months during CoViD and (except for those ignored at Gracedale) we survived.
The so-called ‘freeze’ in spending was scheduled to last 90 days. That was the time allotted to audit where our tax dollars were going and for what purpose. During that pause, it was stated that NO funds going directly to benefit American people would be in jeopardy.
Some agencies would have been evaluated early in the pause, so presenting no significant problem. In any case, if your group can’t exist, or temporarily shift existing funds, to cover ANY pause of 90 days, or less, your group has a serious fiscal management problem.
This is exactly what is happening! I’m all for it, too. We are now finding out how mismanaged, wasteful, and corrupt our recent government has been.
Democrats are screaming because they (and some Republicans) are being exposed as tax payer abusers, some possibly criminals. Hundreds of billions of OUR taxpayer dollars are not being spent as we’ve been led to believe.
Wait until this comprehensive audit runs through other agencies beyond just USAID. From results already leaking out, EVERY American taxpayer will feel sick to their stomach. It’s that bad!
Bernie hates Trump so much he is literally defending waste, fraud, and abuse lol
Musk just tweeted that FEMA sent 59 million to NYC to house illegal immigrants in Luxury hotels recently. Stop this shit now!
Senator Ernst tried to get answers from this USAID and was given the runaround again and again read her opinion piece in the Journal today our government is out of control.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/sen-joni-ernst-usaid-is-a-rogue-agency-us-agency-for-international-development-b70b158b?st=J5fNue
11:04, You are dead wrong. Read the memo. I linked to it. The freeze, which OMB calls a "pause," would freeze ALL federal funding and then require federal agencies to justify all programs. There is no end date.
I have no problem with doing a deep dive in federal spending. I do have a problem with depriving people of vital services provided by federal, state and local government as well as agencies that receive federal grants. Instead of using a scalpel, the freeze used a sledgehammer. It was incredibly stupid.
The 20,000 'crisis' calls in 2023-2024, that Wandalowski claims, are exaggerated. When someone calls and asks " can I please have the number to the Aging Dept." that call is recorded at the Information/Referral dept, as a 'crisis' call, although it was not a true crisis. The actual crisis calls (where someone was actually in crisis), for those 2 years was numbered at approximately 800! A far cry from 20,000!
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was specifically designed to defend working-class people against Wall Street greed and financial predators. It's currently being destroyed by the world's richest man.
"Waste, fraud, and abuse".
Like Headstart, right? Gotta stop those greedy child care providers. I'm all for reducing waste, but not at the expense of everyone.
https://radio.wpsu.org/2025-02-06/funding-headaches-head-start-child-care-pa-nationally-trump-administration-funding-freeze?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Medical%20directory%20errors%20hinder%20health%20care%20access&utm_campaign=PA%20Post%2002%2010%2025
Thank you! Excellent points
Tx for accurate info. See. Perfect example we of how politicians and their appointees can exaggerate
The Commonwealth should follow this lead and put "the pause" on school districts and put an end their incessant fleecing of the property owner. That would be fun to watch.
Fear Fright Hysteria! Take a breath it will be ok.
It was created with a few hundred employees. Now there are 1700! Most are capped out GS 15s. That means 195,100 a year plus benefits for a total compensation package of around 235. Can you tell me anything g this agency has done?
You OK with transgender surgeries for Guatemalans? I suspect you are; thus, the Headstart deflection. We're $35 trillion in debt. How much debt is too much for you? You're not for reducing anything. You're a hopeless partisan robot.
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