In response to a state Supreme Court ruling declaring state funding for public schools unconstitutionally inadequate and unfair, ranking 45th in the nation, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a major infusion of state funding for schools in his budget for next year. The state House of Representatives approved that increase, along with a seven-year plan to close the state’s unconstitutional funding gap.
School districts and communities in Berks County and western Montgomery County benefit greatly from this proposal because it recognizes that districts with weaker tax bases have been hurt the most by this long-term underfunding. This shortfall has forced these districts to rely too heavily on property taxes, a tax that negatively impacts young families and older residents.
However, our own lawmakers are sharing misinformation about this funding plan.
Our legislators oppose the amount of funding allocated to this plan, but support plans to use taxpayer dollars to fund private educational institutions. They fear that this plan will cause income taxes to rise in the coming years, but they fail to recognize that property tax increases could be eased starting now. They falsely claim that the proposal benefits some school districts at the expense of others. No Pennsylvania school district receives less funding under this plan, and all districts receive savings through cyber charter school funding reform.
Indeed, the proposed increase in state funding will improve the quality of public education and mitigate the need for higher property taxes. Let’s stop causing harm to our communities and pass the new funding plan today to benefit all Pennsylvania public schools and every student.
Donna Usavage,
Upper Frederick Township
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