Governor Rendell Urges Adequate Budget Funding to Continue Student Achievement Gains,...

Governor Rendell Urges Adequate Budget Funding to Continue Student Achievement
Gains, Avoid Local Property Tax Hikes

Nearly $196 Million at Stake for Districts in Southeastern Region

NORRISTOWN, Pa., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's next state
budget must adequately invest in education in order to continue student
achievement gains and avoid local property tax increases, Governor Edward G.
Rendell said today during a visit to the Eisenhower Middle School in
Norristown. At stake is nearly $196 million in state funding for school
districts across southeastern Pennsylvania, the Governor said.

Governor Rendell cautioned that budget plans offered by legislative
Republicans would force school districts to hike property taxes and cut
programs, also noting those plans would cost the Norristown Area School
District at least $2 million in 2009-10 compared to his proposal.

"The state budget impasse is really a fight for our children's future. I
refuse to agree to a budget that makes devastating cuts in funding for schools
and other critical programs," Governor Rendell said. "Doing so might allow us
to bring a quick end to the budget process, but it would be at the expense of
the next generation of Pennsylvanians. And that would be the worst thing we
could do for our economy in the long-run."

The Governor was joined by officials including district superintendent Dr.
Janet Samuels, school board president Janice Pearce, and legislators including
Sen. Daylin Leach, Rep. Paul Drucker, and Rep. Matthew Bradford.

Governor Rendell said the state must continue to invest in its proven efforts
to improve student achievement. Last month, the independent national Center on
Education Policy announced that Pennsylvania was the only state in the nation
to make progress in reading and math at the elementary, middle and high school
levels from 2002 to 2008 for all groups of students.

"The Republican budget plan moves us in the wrong direction and puts these
gains at risk," the Governor said. "In addition, a failure at the state level
to adequately fund education simply shifts the tax burden to the local level.

"Worse, the Republican plans cut state basic education funding by $729
million. They disguise this cut by filling the hole with temporary federal
stimulus funds, but we all know that those federal funds will disappear in two
years. Then school districts will be left with the need for massive property
tax hikes or program cuts, or -- most likely -- both," Governor Rendell said.
"In Norristown, that puts $1.3 million at risk when the stimulus funding goes
away. Across Montgomery County, the total is $15 million; and throughout the
five-county southeastern region, it reaches $196 million."

The continuing budget impasse -- now entering its third month -- is having a
serious impact on school districts across Pennsylvania, including the
Norristown Area School District. Without a final budget in place, the state
has been unable to provide payments totaling $1.3 billion to school districts
for the current school year.

"Norristown had to receive an emergency extension on its medical insurance
payments, and teachers are returning to classrooms that are, in some cases,
short on equipment and supplies. In addition, the district is holding back on
paying many of its vendors to preserve cash flow -- meaning that private
businesses in the region are suffering," Governor Rendell said. "You deserve
to have a budget in place quickly, but none of us will be satisfied unless it
is also the right plan for Pennsylvania's future."

Governor Rendell stressed that he and his administration are working to
balance the budget in the face of a struggling national economy, and said
those efforts include making painful but necessary funding reductions to many
important programs.

"Make no mistake -- we must make cuts to the budget, and we are. I have
proposed more than $2.5 billion in spending cuts; many to programs for which I
care deeply," the Governor said. "But let me be clear: balancing this budget
on the backs of homeowners and students is no solution at all."

For more information on the 2009-10 education budget, visit
www.pde.state.pa.us.

CONTACT: Gary Tuma
717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Gary Tuma of the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor, +1-717-783-1116