Scarnati on Education Funding
The state’s new budget for fiscal year 2008-2009 includes good news for area schools and taxpayers, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), who played a key role in budget negotiations.
“This budget increases education funding by 5.5 percent – or nearly $275,000 -- without raising taxes,” Scarnati said. “This will help ensure our children get the best possible education and help to ease the property tax burden on our residents.”
Scarnati said the budget sets a lot of goals to help ensure that all students have adequate resources.
“This is very important in establishing a fair and predictable funding system for our schools, so that school districts can plan ahead,” Scarnati said. “By increasing the state’s share of school funding, school districts will not have to rely so heavily on property taxes to make up the difference.”
Scarnati said the funding formula is also fairer to rural areas of the state, which have been underfunded compared to more urban areas.
“The governor initially proposed an almost 10 percent increase to the Philadelphia School District – more than $85 million,” Scarnati said. “I strongly opposed this giveaway to Philadelphia at the expense of school districts in our area of the state.”
During budget negotiations, Scarnati was successful in forcing the governor to reduce his appropriation to Philadelphia and instead provide more money to districts, like his, which have been underfunded in recent years.
“Overall, I’m very pleased that we are investing in education and helping to provide relief to taxpayers,” Scarnati said. “While we fought against a number of expensive proposals that the Administration wanted, we were able to invest in core areas, such as education and infrastructure improvements – all without raising taxes.
“This budget increases education funding by 5.5 percent – or nearly $275,000 -- without raising taxes,” Scarnati said. “This will help ensure our children get the best possible education and help to ease the property tax burden on our residents.”
Scarnati said the budget sets a lot of goals to help ensure that all students have adequate resources.
“This is very important in establishing a fair and predictable funding system for our schools, so that school districts can plan ahead,” Scarnati said. “By increasing the state’s share of school funding, school districts will not have to rely so heavily on property taxes to make up the difference.”
Scarnati said the funding formula is also fairer to rural areas of the state, which have been underfunded compared to more urban areas.
“The governor initially proposed an almost 10 percent increase to the Philadelphia School District – more than $85 million,” Scarnati said. “I strongly opposed this giveaway to Philadelphia at the expense of school districts in our area of the state.”
During budget negotiations, Scarnati was successful in forcing the governor to reduce his appropriation to Philadelphia and instead provide more money to districts, like his, which have been underfunded in recent years.
“Overall, I’m very pleased that we are investing in education and helping to provide relief to taxpayers,” Scarnati said. “While we fought against a number of expensive proposals that the Administration wanted, we were able to invest in core areas, such as education and infrastructure improvements – all without raising taxes.
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