When the state is cheap, it puts excessive pressure on property taxes to fund schools. Year in and year out, school districts raise taxes and still struggle to balance their budgets and give students the educational opportunities they need and deserve.
Governor Wolf’s proposal for $1.75 billion in new education funding for public schools is exactly the kind of significant down payment in public education that our children need and deserve.
Click HERE to tell your state lawmakers to approve and enact Governor Wolf’s proposed education budget without cuts.
Governor Wolf has proposed:
$1.25 billion increase through the Basic Education Funding formula to all 500 school districts
$300 million Level Up supplement allocated through the BEF formula to the 100 poorest school districts
$200 million special education increase
Visit our nifty map and click on your school district to learn how much education funding your community would receive with Governor Wolf’s proposed budget.
AND–PENNSYLVANIA HAS THE MONEY to make these investments.
Estimates show that Pennsylvania will have an accumulated surplus and unspent funds of almost $12 billion by the end of June, thanks to a strong economy and higher-than expected tax collections combined with unspent federal dollars.
The state legislature can take a big step toward fixing the inequality and deprivation that we see in PA public schools. In fact, it is their constitutional obligation to do so.
Unfortunately, instead of investing in our children, some lawmakers want to try to hoard billions of dollars in cash in Harrisburg and continue to impose austerity on our public schools. They are happy to force property tax increases, cuts in programs and services for students, and yet another year of grossly inadequate resources in our schools.
We cannot let the legislature get away with an austerity budget when Harrisburg is flush with cash. This is an all hands on deck budget season and we are going to need your help.
Click HERE to tell your state lawmakers to approve and enact Governor Wolf’s proposed education budget without cuts.
Best,
Susan Spicka
Executive Director, Education Voters of PA
PS: Check out the PA Schools Work Talking Points Memo page for lots of good information about school funding in little bites.
