From today's Phila. Inquirer.
Corbett: Transportation not at top of list
He said vouchers and the Marcellus Shale were priorities. Legislative leaders have wanted to act on a recent report.
PITTSBURGH - Gov. Corbett signaled Friday that a new transportation-funding bill is not a top priority for his administration this year and questioned the effect of proposed new fees on the state's brittle economy.In remarks after a speech to the national Waterways Symposium, Corbett said that he would "take a look" at any transportation bills proposed this year but that they would battle for attention with measures on school vouchers and Marcellus Shale regulations. He said transportation might have to take a backseat, especially because the legislature's current session is only half-finished.
"I'll make this observation: This General Assembly doesn't end until November 2012. I don't have a deadline in my mind for this year," he told reporters.
Corbett said he was aware of transit concerns affecting the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions - as well as other parts of the state - but wanted to fully study long-term funding of transit and other infrastructure needs.
"Everybody thinks you should be able to do it overnight. . . . If you're going to do it, you have to do it right," he said.
Repeated studies have shown the state's transportation infrastructure to be in worsening condition. Pennsylvania has 8,000 miles of poor roads along with 5,000 structurally deficient bridges, 650 weight-restricted spans, and 50 that have closed.
Corbett's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission delivered its report on paying for $2.7 billion in statewide road, bridge, and public transit needs on Aug. 1, with calls for higher registration and license fees and lifting a cap on the wholesale gasoline tax.
Bipartisan pressure has been rising to move on the recommendations, and the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Jake Corman (R., Centre), this week announced intentions to introduce the funding proposals without the governor's go-ahead. Labor and business groups have lined up in support of some kind of legislation.
"There is no obvious deadline, and this can happen later, but having said that, if we don't do it this year, I don't know when we can do it," Corman said in an interview after Corbett spoke. The senator acknowledged that fees are a tough sell, but said repeated studies have shown the economic drag from poor roads, congestion, and vehicle wear and tear.
"It's an issue we've all been studying. Now it's a matter of political will," he said. "The time is now. Delaying will only cost us more."
Corbett had said little about the recommendations from his transportation committee other than expressing his reservations about the increased fees. He repeated those concerns Friday, while referring to the report released Thursday by the state's Department of Labor and Industry that state unemployment nudged upward in September, from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent.
"I'm pausing [in moving for new fees] because the economy is very difficult right now. We see unemployment continue to tick up, and I'm trying to make the determination of whether this is the right time to do something like that," Corbett said.
"I'll make this observation: This General Assembly doesn't end until November 2012. I don't have a deadline in my mind for this year," he told reporters.
Corbett said he was aware of transit concerns affecting the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions - as well as other parts of the state - but wanted to fully study long-term funding of transit and other infrastructure needs.
"Everybody thinks you should be able to do it overnight. . . . If you're going to do it, you have to do it right," he said.
Repeated studies have shown the state's transportation infrastructure to be in worsening condition. Pennsylvania has 8,000 miles of poor roads along with 5,000 structurally deficient bridges, 650 weight-restricted spans, and 50 that have closed.
Corbett's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission delivered its report on paying for $2.7 billion in statewide road, bridge, and public transit needs on Aug. 1, with calls for higher registration and license fees and lifting a cap on the wholesale gasoline tax.
Bipartisan pressure has been rising to move on the recommendations, and the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Jake Corman (R., Centre), this week announced intentions to introduce the funding proposals without the governor's go-ahead. Labor and business groups have lined up in support of some kind of legislation.
"There is no obvious deadline, and this can happen later, but having said that, if we don't do it this year, I don't know when we can do it," Corman said in an interview after Corbett spoke. The senator acknowledged that fees are a tough sell, but said repeated studies have shown the economic drag from poor roads, congestion, and vehicle wear and tear.
"It's an issue we've all been studying. Now it's a matter of political will," he said. "The time is now. Delaying will only cost us more."
Corbett had said little about the recommendations from his transportation committee other than expressing his reservations about the increased fees. He repeated those concerns Friday, while referring to the report released Thursday by the state's Department of Labor and Industry that state unemployment nudged upward in September, from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent.
"I'm pausing [in moving for new fees] because the economy is very difficult right now. We see unemployment continue to tick up, and I'm trying to make the determination of whether this is the right time to do something like that," Corbett said.
34 comments:
Channeling Ferris Bueller for a moment,
...a man whose priorities are this far out of whack doesn't deserve such a fine automobile
... and neither does his wife, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Lieutenant Governor's wife.
Corbett's new vehicle sparks controversy
State also bought SUVs for first lady, lieutenant governor and his wife
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
By Angela Couloumbis, Philadelphia Inquirer
HARRISBURG -- Gov. Tom Corbett has a new ride. So does his first lady. And his lieutenant governor. And the lieutenant governor's wife.
The taxpayer tab: $186,000.
Even as his administration is proposing dramatic cuts in the state's next budget, Mr. Corbett, first lady Susan Corbett, Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley and his wife Suzanne are riding in new sport utility vehicles.
The men got 2011 Chevy Suburbans, each at a cost of $53,000, according to state records. The women received 2011 Chevy Traverses, at a cost of about $40,000 each.
Mr. Corbett, who before the purchase was driven around in cars that former Gov. Rendell had used, said Monday that he did not ask for the new vehicles. In an interview, the governor said the state police made the decision to buy the cars after assessing how many miles were on the older cars and the safety of the passengers in them.
The new cars, first reported by the Patriot-News of Harrisburg, spiraled into a mini-controversy for Mr. Corbett on Monday, more so when it became known that the governor's new car was picked up for use on March 30.
That happened to be the same day Corbett told reporters he was driving around in a hand-me-down from the Rendell era.
Corbett apparently didn't take his inaugural ride in the new car until April 1, according to State Police spokesman Jack Lewis.
"I don't think [Corbett] knew he was getting a new car until he actually got it" on April 1, spokesman Kevin Harley explained Monday.
Mr. Harley said the governor remains committed to reducing the state's auto fleet -- a vow made often in his fall campaign -- and that, with one exception, he has directed his executive staff to drive their own cars rather than state cars. The exception is the chief of staff, Bill Ward, Mr. Harley said.
"This huge cost-cutting, the likes of which we have not seen in 40 years anyway, is driving the scrutiny," said political analyst and pollster G. Terry Madonna. "I don't fault [Corbett] for the type of vehicle or the need to be safe, but I think in this day and age, it has to be about shared sacrifice. Public officials cannot ask voters to accept cuts and reduction of services without themselves leading the way."
In his budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year, Mr. Corbett has proposed axing more than half the funding for state-supported universities.
He also wants to reduce state aid to public schools by more than $1 billion.
In speech after speech, he has said he believes everyone must sacrifice as the state seeks to resolve an estimated $4 billion deficit next year.
"The sacrifice must be collective," Mr. Corbett said in his March 8 budget address, "as will be the ultimate rewards."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staff writer Laura Olson contributed to this report.
"On the positive side," said Mr. Harley, "at least he got a vehicle that will average a thrifty 15 MPG."
its your own dam fault for choosing corbet. republicans will ruin us all.
Peter, your post reminds me of this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl8mQhxhE_Q
Let's just say that with all the problems we're facing as a state and a nation, including crumbling infrastructure, I think pushing vouchers as a top priority is misguided as all get-out, especially the unfair, Constitutionally dubious bills that are under consideration.
It's kind of like focusing on banning books, cutting educational programs and the School Band, and illegally locking out custodial and secretarial workers while letting school buildings rot.
"its your own dam fault for choosing corbet. republicans will ruin us all."
I didn't choose Corbett; he chose me.
BTW, Mikey Fitz, where are the jobs????
Ditto. Others chose Corbett for me.
THU APR 21, 2011 AT 06:31 AM PDT
Report Exposes DeVos Plot To Destroy Public Education
The Koch-funded war on labor unions is only part of a larger battle plan. Meet the DeVos-fronted war on public education.
Reasonable people can, of course, disagree over the wisdom of education voucher plans that pay for charter schools, but a new Talk To Action exposé traces financial and organizational ties to show that many of the people behind campaigns for voucher bills coming before state legislatures this Spring don't want to improve public education; quite the opposite--they want to destroy it.
My colleague Rachel Tabachnick has just released a groundbreaking report that ties voucher initiatives in Pennsylvania, Florida, and elsewhere to right-wing Think Tanks--funded by the DeVos family but also the Koch brothers and foundations of the Scaife, Olin, Bradley, Smith-Richardson, and Walton families--whose leaders have publicly indicated their desire to completely eradicate taxpayer-financed public education.
As the report shows, a central part of the strategy is the use of considerable money to sway key Democratic Party figures to back voucher bills so that support for such bills appears bipartisan, and in Pennsylvania an organization called Students First has played a major role in promoting the push for vouchers, but the DeVos-backed group group is run by a Republican political strategist who served as an aide to President George W. Bush.
As early as April 26th, a voucher bill will come before the Pennsylvania legislature. As Rachel Tabachnick writes in Voucher Advocate Betsy DeVos, Right-Wing Think Tanks Behind Koch-Style Attack on PA Public Schools,
A new wave of school voucher bills is sweeping the nation, which would allow public education funds to be used in private or parochial schools. As with past waves of voucher initiatives, these new bills are largely promoted and funded by the billionaire DeVos family and a core group of wealthy pro-privatization supporters. They include Pennsylvania SB-1, soon coming to a vote in the PA Senate, and the "Vouchers-for-All" bill approved by the Florida Senate Education Committee on April 14. Betsy DeVos is at the helm of organizations that have set the stage for both bills, but you would never know it based on the propaganda being marketed to Pennsylvanians. Even if you are from another state, keep reading. Chances are a Betsy DeVos-led campaign is already at work in your state or will be there soon.
The DeVos family is recognized as one of the top national contributors to the Republican Party, free market policy institutes, and Religious Right organizations. Many of their previous attempts at using voucher initiatives to privatize the nation's public schools have been transparent. Recent campaigns have been more covert and are camouflaged behind local efforts described as grass roots and bipartisan.
Pennsylvanians should not be deceived. Regardless of where one stands on the issue of school choice, behind the curtain of this effort is an interconnected network of right wing think tanks and billionaire donors, funded by foundations including those of the DeVos and Koch families and the Scaife, Allegheny, and Carthage Foundations of Pennsylvania's own Richard Mellon Scaife. The leaders of many of these DeVos/Koch/Scaife-funded institutes openly voice their ideological objections to all forms of public education. Some even proudly display their support for a proclamation posted at the Alliance for Separation of School and State, which reads,
part 2
"I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education."
Years have been spent developing and promoting schemes to privatize public education. The report"Voucher Veneer: the Deeper Agenda to Privatize Public Education" by People For the American Way (PFAW), quotes Joseph Bast, President and CEO of the Koch/Scaife/Walton-funded Heartland Institute,
"The complete privatization of schooling might be desirable, but this objective is politically impossible for the time being. Vouchers are a type of reform that is possible now, and would put us on the path to further privatization."
Regardless of the individual merits of any particular charter school, the promotion of charter schools collectively is key to the hard religious right strategy for destroying public education, because voucher-funded charter schools will siphon money and the best students from public schools.
That, in turn, will degrade public schools, at which point advocates for charter schools and privatization will point to public schools and say, "look! Public schools are a failed experiment. We need more vouchers, more charter schools!"
I'm unemployed and my old car is damaged from falling bridge debris.
Why is banning Sharia Law not #1???
So the current school board issued a newsletter under the guise of a School District newsletter which mailed out using your taxpayer money and they allowed their voted in solicitor to place an ad inside. This is a perfect example of what they do behind your back every day. Do you want 4 more years of deceit?
Legitimate legal political campaigns rely on donations. Stay on Coarse uses taxpayer money to promote itself right before an election. Unreal.
At best, the Superintendent they hired without a job search allowed it to happen.
A perfect example of how absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The SOC supporters claim to "love their School Board". This is very interesting to me because it appears if you really cared about the school you would show love to the kids inside the walls not the board who has disengaged the public, used their position to benefit their own pockets (landlords) and cut programs that benefit the kids.
Would I vote for a group that chose Red as their color and has all of the above against them or would I vote for the Candidates who actually know the school colors Blue and Gold, Attend every school event, actually have kids in the district and have a record of volunteerism, community involvement and is respected and trusted within their borough and surrounding communitiess?
My Vote is Morrisville Matters, Kartal, Parker, Miller and SToneburner on November 8th.
The abuse of power by Stay on Coarse continues unabated.
Make no mistake, just about everything they've done that might be characterized as "good" came about because of either
a. dogged pursuit by concerned citizens and involved school parents and guardians; or
b. election year pandering.
"The SOC supporters claim to "love their School Board".
I have seen some of these signs too. LOVE your children, your spouse, mother, father, siblings, and other family members. LOVE your friends. You might even LOVE your pets.
But LOVE your school board? I don't think so. If they suit your sensibilities then I can even understand having a sign that says you support them. But love? With a cute-sy little heart for the "o"? That's a bit much, don't you think?
I really believe that SIC is getting desperate. We love our school Board signs reek of it. If I was ignorant as to what was going on in the district (as I feel most people are) that sign would set an alarm or with me that said "STAY AWAY". I think Its a rediculous egotistical statement that turns people off.
But That's SIC for you.
Okay. SIC decided to hold a Beef and Beer for the first time to raise funds and has put up new bigger sized signs (at east one that I've seen on Bridge street right next to Morrisville Matters sign). Seems like the old SIC way of doing things is not as efficient and effective as the way Morriville Matters handles its campaign. Thus the need to copy what Morrisville Matters does. I guess I shouldn't expect an original idea from the SIC folks. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.
I wish SIC would start copying the honesty & integrity factor from Morrisville Matters candidates. Oh sorry, they've done nothing honest or above board during their reign as school board members, or in their campainging so no where for them to go with that tactic.
At this poing their only alternative is to remain deceitful
Thank God the SIC school Baord loves themselves. Someone has to.
If SIC wants to spend their money of ridiculous, cutesy signage that’s their prerogative. The problem is that they will continue to apply the same mentality to school expenditures which effects me as a taxpayer and more importantly the education of our youth. Is this really the type of mentality the public wants to see from its school board members?
Narcissists' Overconfidence May Hide Low Self-Esteem
By Stephanie Pappas | LiveScience.com – 22 hrs ago
Narcissists may seem to love themselves, but a new study finds that narcissistic self-aggrandizement may hide deep feelings of inferiority.
According to the new research, people who are narcissistic are likely to tell psychologists that they feel good about themselves. But when the psychologists trick these narcissists into thinking they're hooked up to a working lie-detector test, the truth comes out and the narcissists admit to lower self-esteem.
"This suggests that individuals with high levels of narcissism may be inflating their self-esteem," study researcher Erin Myers, a psychologist at Western Carolina University, told LiveScience. "In other words, narcissistic individuals may not really believe they are as great as they claim to be."
The whole truth
Although narcissism is possibly best known as narcissistic personality disorder, an extreme, life-disrupting form of self-love, the trait appears in varying degrees in psychologically healthy people. People who are higher in the narcissistic trait profess to a grandiose self-appreciation, but studies had turned up mixed results as to whether these positive feelings are genuine or a façade. [Top 10 Controversial Psychiatric Disorders]
To find out, Myers and her colleagues had to use a little bit of deception. They recruited 71 undergraduate women from the University of Southern Mississippi and asked them to fill out questionnaires designed to rate their self-esteem and narcissism.
Later, the students went to Myers' lab, where they filled out more psychological evaluations and then were told that they'd be hooked up to lie-detector equipment so that the psychologists could tell if they were telling the truth. The students were then asked to agree or disagree with statements such as, "I take a positive attitude toward myself."
"I played the role of the researcher and always wore a white lab coat," Myers said. "We even went so far as to apply skin conductance paste when hooking participants up to the equipment. We wanted to make the situation as believable as possible."
All of the students were hooked up to the equipment, but some were told that it was only for training purposes and that the "lie detector" would be turned off before the study started. Others went through the entire procedure believing that they were being monitored for truthfulness.
Maintaining a facade
The results revealed an interesting schism: For women who scored low in narcissism, being "monitored" by the lie detector made no difference in their reported self-esteem. But women with high narcissism reported more love of themselves when they thought the lie-detecting machine was off. When they believed that the researchers knew if they were telling the truth, their self-esteem responses were significantly lower.
The findings suggest that narcissists are covering for a deep-seated sense of inferiority, Myers said, though the researchers aren't yet sure whether this façade is for themselves or for the benefit of others.
"Narcissists may be trying to bolster their own feelings of self-worth by claiming to like themselves," Myers said. "Another possibility is that narcissists may be trying to influence the way that others perceive them. It may also be some combination of both."
The researchers will report their work in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Research in Personality.
Very interesting. Does that also explain the pathological lying?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ldAQ6Rh5ZI
"FOR THE LOVE OF MORRISVILLE" - Current Morrisville School Directors. Stop loving yourselves so much and show a little concern for the students.
They can't help it, it's their ...
oh, I'll let Orson Welles' character in his 1954 movie Mr. Arkadin explain it with an old fable. It starts about 22 seconds in. I could listen to this guy read the phone book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugmy_zlyPoQ
P.S. I liked the Stuart Smalley clip!
Sorry, Stay on Coarse, I'm just not that into you.
SOC, self-loving? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Hmmmmmmmvainimaginationsmmmmmmm!
Luv Ya so,
The Man in the Mirror
Vain imaginations? You mean like this below (excerpted from http://surelsoul.wordpress.com/2011/06/24/vain-imaginations-and-the-spirit-of-pride/)?
Holy Crow do I see LOTS of Stay on Course in these words, and NOT in a good way:
vain imaginations and narcissism, or the spirit of pride
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,” Romans 1:21-22
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:5
“vain-having or showing an excessively high opinion of one’s appearance, abilities, or worth.”
“imaginations-the action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses:”
What is “vain imagination”?
“Just off the cuff, I would say that it is any thought that has its promotion in personal or collective self in such a way that God is not promoted, but that self is. This can be infinite in its application. It says toward the end of 1 Cor 15 that we were enemies of God in our minds.
Whenever I read that verse you quoted, I always think of the building of the tower of Babel as a physical representation of the promotion of collective self.
The mind is where promotion of self is a vast prominence. A salient horn of pride that protrudes above others and God. Maybe this is why in the book of Daniel horns are made such a big deal of…because they protrude from prideful wicked minds. They are a physical expression of a black defiance within the gray matter. (My own speculation)
Vain imaginations calculate on a constant basis, how to justify and how to promote self. These must be cast down, torn down, annihilated by the power of the cross. As the cross is the very antithesis of every vain imagination ever promoted.
We're talking about a School Board election, right? Not who sanctimoniously think they're closer to God, the Holy Bible, and/or Michael Jackson, right? Just checking.
"Vain imaginations calculate on a constant basis, how to justify and how to promote self."
Stay on Course in a nutshell.
Shove it, Wagner, we got school vouchers to push. When Koch and DeVos say jump, you gotta say "how high"? At which point, they say "as high as that bridge that used to be there was".
Auditor general calls for action on Pa. bridges
Posted: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 3:38 pm
Associated Press | 0 comments
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania state government's financial watchdog is calling for action to address deficient bridges and crumbling roadways.
Democratic Auditor General Jack Wagner said Tuesday that rebuilding the state's transportation infrastructure is the most important issue currently facing the state. He says investing in those projects is the fastest way to boost Pennsylvania's economy.
He calls the state's bridges, rated the worst in the country, more than an inconvenience, that they're also a safety hazard.
Republican Gov. Tom Corbett says he hasn't decided how to respond to an internal study of transportation funding needs issued this summer by his hand-picked commission.
The AP reported in July the state spends about $600 million annually to repair bridges, a job that would cost about $8.7 billion to complete.
... and push they will.
Posted on Wed, Oct. 26, 2011
Corbett education initiatives sent for Senate vote
By Dan Hardy
Inquirer Staff Writer
A state Senate committee approved legislation Tuesday that moves forward three key Corbett administration education initiatives: vouchers, charter-school expansion, and increased funding of tax credits that pay for private-school tuition.
The full Senate could vote on the proposal as early as Wednesday.
The law, if passed, would help pay the private-school tuition of low-income public school children who attend the lowest-performing schools and want out. In the second year, it would pay tuition for low-income students in those schools' attendance areas who already attend private schools.
School boards would get new powers to convert regular public schools to charters, and it would be easier to appeal rejected charter applications. It would set new academic and fiscal standards.
The Educational Improvement Tax Credit program would increase to $100 million, from $75 million, with more increases in future years.
"This is about [making] a public-policy statement about a responsibility the state has to students trapped in unsafe and underperforming schools," Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D., Phila.) said of the voucher proposal.
Replied State Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery): "To help a small percentage of kids, we're going to be hurting badly the overwhelming majority of kids" by using state education dollars to pay for vouchers.
Tuesday's Senate Education Committee vote was 9-2, with Williams and Andrew Dinniman joining seven Republicans. Democrats Jim Ferlo (D., Allegheny) and Leach voted no.
Despite Republican control of the governor's office, the Senate and the House, the new proposal's fate is uncertain. House Republican leaders have been lukewarm about many aspects of the plan; similar proposals introduced individually earlier this year went nowhere.
A list of the 143 schools where students would be eligible for vouchers, released Tuesday, includes 88 Philadelphia schools, six schools in Delaware County's Chester Upland district, and three in Delaware County's William Penn district. Those schools scored in the bottom 5 percent statewide on math and reading tests.
In 2018-19, the low-achieving list would expand to cover any school where 50 percent or fewer of students met state standards on tests.
The legislation mirrors most of the proposals Gov. Corbett made in an Oct. 11 speech at a York County charter school, but some details differ. The bill does not set up a state board Corbett had requested that could bypass local school boards in granting charters. And Corbett did not call for vouchers to low-income children already in private schools.
Corbett said in a statement Tuesday: "Today's action . . . is an important step in the process" of passing "a strong education reform package."
Voucher income eligibility would be 130 percent of the federal poverty rate - $29,000 or less for a family of four. Families making 130 percent to 185 percent of the poverty rate would get three quarters of the state allocation.
Estimates earlier this year pegged voucher costs for the first year at about $16 million, assuming 3 percent of eligible students used vouchers. They would grow to about $82 million in the second and succeeding years.
Schools accepting vouchers would have to give students either state math and reading tests or a standardized achievement test in grades three, five, eight, and 11.
School districts could set aside 10 percent or more of local funds for students who want to attend public schools in other districts. Neither private schools nor districts would be required to accept transfers.
....the rest of the article.
The proposal's charter-school provisions would scrap a requirement in effect in all districts outside of Philadelphia that says a majority of staff and parents must approve to convert a regular public school into a charter school. Instead, it would take a majority school board vote.
The proposal also eliminates provisions in effect outside Philadelphia requiring a certain number of resident signatures to be submitted before the state charter appeals board could hear an appeal.
It outlines a process to establish academic standards that charters would have to meet to stay in operation, and it sets new fiscal and reporting requirements. And it eliminates a provision in the law that bans charter administrators from working for more than one school, substituting a financial-disclosure requirement.
Charters would be granted for five years instead of the current three, and renewed for 10 years, instead of the current five. Charters could be amended, to allow schools to expand beyond their current grade spans.
The Educational Improvement Tax Credit provisions of the proposal would make $100 million in tax credits for businesses available in 2012-13 to pay for private school tuition and for "innovative" programs provided by nonprofit "educational-improvement organizations."
The figure would grow to $125 million in 2014-15 and by 5 percent each subsequent year. Families with one child and an income of up to $72,000 would qualify.
Posted on Wed, Oct. 26, 2011
Pa. Senate approves school voucher plan
By Angela Couloumbis and Dan Hardy
INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
HARRISBURG - The push for school choice cleared its first major legislative hurdle - but not its last - when the state Senate voted Wednesday to provide taxpayer-funded tuition vouchers for impoverished students in failing public schools.
The upper chamber approved, 27 to 22, a measure that would extend vouchers to low-income families with children in the bottom 5 percent of poor-performing public schools.
The bill would help families with incomes of $29,000 or less transfer their children to private or parochial schools by offering them state-funded vouchers of anywhere from $5,765 to $13,905, depending on the district. In the second year, the vouchers would also be offered to low-income students already attending private schools.
The bill mirrors many of the school choice proposals that the Corbett administration supports, and the governor on Wednesday called it "a strong education reform package that will help improve opportunities for thousands of school children throughout Pennsylvania."
Although proponents hailed Wednesday's Senate action as a victory for their cause, the bill faces an uncertain future.
The House has shown considerably less enthusiasm for tackling vouchers. Asked about it Wednesday, House Speaker Sam Smith (R., Jefferson) made no promise to take up the voucher bill before the end of the year.
"We haven't really vetted vouchers," Smith said. "It's not something we're going to take up in the next couple of weeks."
Only five scheduled session weeks remain before the legislature breaks in December.
Aside from providing vouchers, the Senate bill would boost the number of charter schools by giving school boards expanded powers to convert public schools to charters. It would also set new academic and fiscal standards.
In addition, the measure would lift the $75 million cap on the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), which gives tax breaks to businesses that provide tuition funding for low-income students. The EITC program would increase to $100 million, with more hikes planned in future years.
"This is the most significant effort at education reform in well over a decade," Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R., Dauphin), one of the main sponsors of the bill, said as the measure was being debated Wednesday.
Added Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams (D., Phila.), another key sponsor: "Families should not suffer because their local school is not providing their child with a quality education . . .. These families are one step closer from freeing themselves from the trap of failing education."
Most Democrats in the chamber disagreed.
"This is a death spiral for public education," said Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery), decrying the state's failure to adequately fund public schools. "Lower test scores, fewer in college, condemning those left behind to a lifetime of suffering, all because we don't have guts to fix their schools."
In all, 17 districts in the state have schools that would qualify for vouchers, according to a list prepared by the Senate Education Committee.
The districts include Philadelphia, where 88 schools would fall under the voucher umbrella, and where the tuition help would average $6,779; Delaware County's Chester Upland district, with six schools and vouchers averaging $9,984; and Delaware County's William Penn district, with three schools and vouchers averaging $5,836.
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