Local reaction to government deal to avoid shutdown

PHILADELPHIA - April 8, 2011 (WPVI) -- Federal workers were asked about the prospects of an 11th hour deal, and how that would change the mood in this area.

The consensus, a big sigh of relief among workers in Philadelphia, but many are still angry that Washington put them through such an order to begin with, toying with their lives and making them worry about how they would pay their bills.

"Why didn't they do it in October?" asked Marge, a federal worker. "I sure don't like the way they do things, no, no I do not."

To be sure, many workers are relieved an 11th hour deal to keep the government running has been reached.

"I'm very happy," said Yvette Lewis, an IRS worker. "It's a big relief."

"That would be great, you know everything will go on, we've got a lot of stuff scheduled, there's a lot of time lines going on, and everybody is in a panic because trying to get everything done by the end of the day today," said Lisa Makosewski.

For the last few weeks, many of these federal workers have been put through the ringer worrying about how they were going to get by without a pay check with Congress bickering for months and not passing a budget.

"I mean they've had a long time, you know it's been 6 months into the fiscal year, by now it shouldn't have taken that long," says Chris, a federal worker.

There were a lot of lives on pins and needles at the federal level in Philadelphia and across the country. Many are still angry, but breathing a sigh of relief over the 11th hour deal.

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philadelphia, pennsylvania, government shutdown, local/state

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