Apr. 14, 2016
HARRISBURG – To help local schools receive the state funding they are due in the 2015-16 state budget, Rep. Sandra Major (R-Wayne/Susquehanna) this week voted in favor of new legislation that would restore funding cuts to education created when the governor vetoed the state’s Fiscal Code.
House Bill 1589, which passed the House with bipartisan support, is another attempt at implementing the Basic Education Funding formula, which passed the General Assembly last summer and was praised by Gov. Tom Wolf. That funding formula, which was part of the Fiscal Code Wolf vetoed in March, would dictate how the $150 million in new basic education dollars and $50 million in flexible grants are to be spent.
“When the governor vetoed the Fiscal Code earlier this year and decided to ignore the agreed-upon distribution formula for school funding in order to dole out funding as he deemed fit, it caused a great many schools to suffer unintended cuts in funding,” said Major.
“Although all schools would still be getting more than last year, many would not get the maximum amount that the General Assembly voted upon for them to receive. The Fiscal Code bill we voted on this week would rectify the governor’s actions and direct more funding back to schools in the 111th District that the governor wanted to cut,” continued Major. “In fact, the governor wanted to deny our school districts more than half a million dollars in funding in order to direct more dollars to the failing Philadelphia School District. That is unacceptable to me and to the people I represent.”
Major noted that the legislation she voted in favor of on Wednesday would restore $502,497 in funding for school districts in the 111th Legislative District.
“These dollars mean that students here at home can continue to receive a quality education and property taxes can continue to remain in check. I am hopeful the governor signs the Fiscal Code into law and follows the funding formula he, himself, endorsed last summer,” she said.
House Bill 1589 now goes to the governor for consideration.
Representative Sandra Major
111th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tricia Lehman
717. 772.9840
tlehman@pahousegop.com
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