HARRISBURG — Calling it a lifeline in the face of an 86-day-old state budget impasse, Treasurer Stacy Garrity on Wednesday said her agency would offer short-term loans to counties and Head Start programs, some of which are considering employee furloughs and service cuts.

The treasurer — who on Saturday got the endorsement of the state Republican Party as its gubernatorial candidate for 2026 — said the announcement had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the impasse affecting children, senior citizens and other vulnerable people. Flanked by commissioners from three different counties, Ms. Garrity said her office was using its statutory authority to set aside a pool of $500 million to make loans at 4.5%.

“The state budget is close to three months’ overdue,” Ms. Garrity sa

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