State Senator Chris Gebhard | Pennsylvania
State Senator Chris Gebhard | Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Senate has passed legislation addressing the ongoing financial burden posed by vacant state-owned centers in White Haven, Hamburg, and Polk. The bill was introduced by Senators Dave Argall (R-29), Chris Gebhard (R-48), and Scott Hutchinson (R-21) and received bipartisan support with a 47-3 vote.
Senator Argall expressed concerns about the current situation: “Spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars each year maintaining these three properties with their future uncertain is completely irresponsible.” He emphasized the need to return these properties to productive use, benefiting local communities economically.
The closure of the Hamburg Center in 2018, followed by the shutdown of White Haven and Polk centers in 2023 by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, has left these facilities largely unused. This inactivity has resulted in significant maintenance costs funded by taxpayers. Senator Gebhard criticized the lack of planning for these closures: “It is unsettling to see how the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the Pennsylvania Department of General Services had no real plan in place when these properties closed.”
Financial data from the Pennsylvania Department of General Services revealed that carryover costs for maintaining all three properties amounted to $28.1 million during the 2023-24 fiscal year. These costs included $8.9 million for White Haven Center, $3.9 million for Hamburg Center, and $15.3 million for Polk Center.
Senate Bill 1277 requires a comprehensive plan from the Pennsylvania Department of General Services on repurposing these properties. It also mandates annual reporting on property costs since closure, projected expenses if unsold, and potential demolition or refurbishment costs.
Highlighting potential risks from inaction, senators cited Allentown State Hospital's example where prolonged maintenance led to nearly tripling taxpayer expenses over a decade before its eventual demolition.
The bill now moves to the state House of Representatives for further consideration.
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