As we mark the seventh week of the state budget stalemate, area lawmakers say they will continue to take their paychecks.

Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the Republican-backed $30.1 billion budget in its entirety June 30, a move that continues to leave the state without a spending plan.Since then, Sen. John Blake and Reps. Aaron Kaufer and Mike Tobash have been quoted as saying they have not received pay since the new fiscal year started July 1.Several area lawmakers said they continue to take their pay, but said they would reconsider depending on how long the impasse continues.State Sen. John Yudichak, D-14, said lawmakers are covered by court decisions in recent years."I'm collecting my check," Yudichak said. "I consider myself a state employee."Yudichak added, "I don't think there's any voter in the state that doesn't want their legislator fully engaged in that debate.""I take that very serious that I'm a voice of the people who sent me from northeast Pa. who hired me to do a job," he said. "The job is certainly not complete, but work continues."Yudichak added, "This is a budget battle."He offered a response to the lawmakers who have elected to not take paychecks."I think it's a bit disingenuous that some suggest legislators not getting paid," he said. "I think that's merely seeking a headline and doesn't help the process."Yudichak said he will revisit the matter over time."If the revenue runs out, if state employees can no longer be paid, then I of course will not take a paycheck," he said. "I'm hoping we don't get to that point."State Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-122, shared much the same thought."My staff and everybody is paid out of our reserve fund set up years ago," Heffley said. "Now, if the budget continues to go on longer than the reserve funds last, then obviously we wouldn't continue to get paychecks."Heffley said he's upset that the budget has yet to be passed."There's really no need for this budget crisis to continue on," he said. "A lot of the line items in the budget were agreed on, and the governor should have approved the items we agreed to."State Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, concurred."The General Assembly did their job in passing an on-time, no tax increase, responsible budget, which our multimillionaire governor vetoed," Knowles said. "I am not fortunate enough to be able to live without a paycheck, like the governor and some of my colleagues."State Rep. Jack Rader, R-176, said an agreement clearly needs to be reached."I think the focus now should be on a solution to the budget," Rader said. "I think there are solutions out there."Rader added, "The state employees are still getting paid.""There will come a point in time where I will look at the situation and make a decision," he said. "I'm not to that point yet, but that doesn't mean I won't be at some point."Jon Hopcraft, executive director, Senate Majority Policy Committee, from the office of Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, noted that Argall is taking a salary at this time.Efforts to reach state Sen. Mario Scavello, R-40, and state Rep. Julie Harhart, R-183, were unsuccessful.