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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Jake Wheatley |
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Wheatley helps to advance school funding increase proposal
HARRISBURG, June 3 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, today helped to advance Gov. Ed Rendell's school funding proposal by voting to move it out of the House Education Committee.
The bill (H.B. 1493) would implement the second year of Pennsylvania’s school funding formula to increase student achievement and hold down local property taxes. The $418 million to fund the basic education subsidy increase would come from the federal stimulus package’s State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.
"This bill would keep our commitment to our young people and to homeowners. In contrast, the Republican-majority Senate has passed a budget on a party-line vote that would cut the state’s share of school funding by more than $1 billion," said Wheatley, who is also chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.
"The Senate plan, Senate Bill 850, would also eliminate $317 million in federal stimulus funds for Pennsylvania, funds that were intended by the president and Congress as one-time grants to enable school districts to invest in educational improvement strategies and school modernization.
"Our students need this funding to succeed in school and in life, our schools need it partly just to keep up with inflation, and our communities need Pennsylvania to have a well-educated, skilled work force to attract and retain jobs, both in this difficult economy and in the future."
Wheatley represents the 19th Legislative District, which includes historic Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as the Hill District, North Side, South Side, Allentown, Hazelwood, Downtown, the Bluff, Knoxville, Beltzhoover, Manchester, Arlington, Arlington Heights, and West, South and North Oakland.
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