The Governor is touting a “no tax” budget at the same time that newspapers across the state, including the Inquirer, are documenting rising taxes. State officials claim that record levels of state support for education were enacted yet Pennsylvania’s schools districts are cutting programs to the bone. This battle of truth vs. “spin” blurs the picture and unfortunately offers good cover for our elected officials as they take their summer recess. But in reality the end of recess bells are already ringing and here’s why:
The “no tax” budget will mean tax increases on homeowners and businesses – In spite of hefty tax breaks for the large corporations, the miserly increase in state aid for schools will cause local taxes to rise. In the last two years, to compensate for a cut in $70 million in state school aid, a study by Public Citizens for Children and Youth finds that nearly eight out of every ten districts in the Philadelphia Suburbs increased property taxes.
Schools were shortchanged with “record high” levels of state funded school aid — The spin from some in Harrisburg is that the budget includes historically high levels of education aid. These claims lead some residents to believe that districts are swimming in cash. Yet, most parents know that full day kindergarten is being slashed and teacher layoffs are forcing class sizes to go up. No longer is the term “pay to play” just about dirty politics. It’s the new term for the need for parents, regardless of income, to foot the bill for their children to play a sport because their school can’t afford to pay a coach or buy chlorine for the high school swimming pool. If this is what a record high level of state aid for schools means for education, our kids are in deep water.
Increases in school aid were divvied up to help the most powerful not the poorest – The state budget directed new state funds to 21 districts because they educate poor students, have charter schools or because they have students whose first language isn’t English. Yet, in our region, districts such as Norristown, Coatesville, Chester Upland, Bristol Borough and Philadelphia that should have qualified for this targeted increase in aid, didn’t see a dime of this money. Why? Because this year’s budget included cynically constructed formulas that allocated funds to school districts based on bogus measures of need so that an elite group of legislative leaders could go home to accolades in their communities.
The so called “tight budget” didn’t hold the line on all state spending – State aid to schools was increased by 2.3 percent over last year or less than $10 per public school student. Meanwhile, the state budget increase of $85 million for prisons and probation was a hefty 4.3 percent.
The Philadelphia life preserver won’t stop the drowning – In Philadelphia where the school district budget shortfall for the year is over $300 million, the state offered up $45 million in one time state funding, and $15 million in recurring funds. That’s far short of what is needed to effectively operate the district. To make matters worse, the state blocked local efforts to increase tax collections for the district.
The American’s for Tax Justice, a Washington, D.C. group of anti-tax agitators led by Grover Norquist sent a letter urging the legislature to vote down measures to boost Philadelphia’s contribution to the School District funded with new local sin taxes. As a result the cigarette and liquor by the drink tax increases in Philadelphia were “Norquisted” in the House and leaders in the Senate refused to pass legislation that would give the City the tools needed to crack down on deadbeat taxpayers.
Unfortunately the Mayor and Council’s initial plan to fund the school district hasn’t worked. It’s time to implement Plan B. That plan must solve this problem for the long term and include forming an alliance with City and suburban districts to push for a predictable school funding formula that is fair, transparent and able to rely on dedicated, robust revenues. Plan B must also meet the urgent short term needs of the Philadelphia School District. Here the options could include City Council appropriating a reasonable amount of the City’s current year budget surplus of nearly $90 million to the District. The City’s Five Year Financial Plan shows that $25 million could be redirected to the district without a negative impact on the City’s long term financial condition. In addition, it should include a smart public relations and political offensive to get the Senate send to the Governor’s desk the cigarette tax increase and new tax collection powers.
This year’s state budget battle was gruesome and many are still licking their wounds while on summer vacation. But school starts in one month and in that time there is hard work that must be done to address the failures of this state budget. Our elected officials must stop their spinning, return from recess and do what it takes to make sure we are all ready for classes to start this fall.
Donna Cooper – Philadelphia.