5/9/16
by News Department on 05/09/16School budget...
Pennsylvania's school funding could once again become a contentious point in state budget talks after a fight over how school funding helped drive this past year's historic budget stalemate.
The state upped classroom spending by $200 million — to $5.9 billion — and used a new formula to distribute $150 million of it.
Wolf had originally sought $400 million for public schools, a 7 percent increase; he got half.
Wolf's office called the new formula "a move in the right direction." But, his office said, "it cannot truly be fair until we restore the funding that was cut from all districts in 2011-12. This remains a top priority of the governor."
Wolf also failed to persuade lawmakers to raise state taxes to reduce Pennsylvania's heavy reliance on school property taxes, which public school advocates say is a significant driver of the funding disparity.
In his proposal for the 2016-17 budget year that begins July 1, Wolf called for classroom funding to rise to $6.3 billion. It is not clear yet whether Wolf can secure a $350 million-plus commitment from Republican lawmakers, particularly as he seeks a tax increase to balance a projected deficit approaching $2 billion.
