HARRISBURG — A new loan program set up by Republican state Treasurer and Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity to help counties and other organizations weather a worsening state budget impasse on Monday was dubbed a political ploy by a top Democrat.

Sen. Jay Costa of Allegheny County, the minority leader in the Senate, said that as much as Ms. Garrity “would like to be the hero in this particular instance,” she does not have the authority to loan money during a budget impasse. The assertion was rejected both by Ms. Garrity’s office and Senate Republicans, who on Monday advanced a bill to waive interest that counties and other organizations would have to pay on the loans.

“The Budget Bridge Loan Program is not a political stunt, rather it’s a legal, common sense approach to mai

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