Senate Republican Budget Would Slash $117 Million to School Districts

Harrisburg, June 18, 2008 -- The Senate Republican Majority today voted (28-21) to approve a state budget bill (SB 1389) that would cut $415.8 million in funding from the "no-tax-increase budget" proposed by Governor Rendell in February.

Senate Democratic Whip Michael A. O'Pake (D-Berks) said he voted against the GOP plan "primarily because it slashes more than $117 million from what the Governor proposed in education subsidies to our school districts.

"If this were the final budget, it would translate into even higher local school property taxes on the backs of Berks County's already overburdened property owners," O'Pake said.

O'Pake noted the General Assembly has "rarely, if ever" reduced what the Governor proposes in basic education funding "because our school districts rely on the numbers in the Governor's budget to prepare their budgets for the upcoming year.

"The Governor's proposed budget does not require a tax increase -- never did and still doesn't. But the Senate Republican plan would most assuredly raise the prospect of even higher local school property taxes," O'Pake said.

###