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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Mike Sturla Chairman, Democratic Policy Committee | State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland D-Chester Hearing Co-Chair |
Democratic Policy Committee continues exploration of vouchers
CHESTER, April 20 – The House Democratic Policy Committee held a public hearing at the Chester Fine Arts Center East today to continue its exploration of school vouchers in Pennsylvania, said Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, said.
State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D-Chester, who requested the hearing, served as co-chair.
“A taxpayer funded voucher program further jeopardizes public education in our state,” Sturla said. “Education funding has already had a target placed on it by Governor Corbett, and the schools most in need of the funding stand to lose the most under Senate Bill 1. With the state’s current economic recovery just picking up, establishing an expensive and thus unsustainable voucher program would be irresponsible.”
Kirkland added, “It is important to evaluate how vouchers would impact students as well as our public schools. Implementing a voucher program would be a costly undertaking for an already fiscally-strained state budget and we need to spend our state dollars effectively to secure positive outcomes for our students.”
Those testifying at the hearing included Charles Warren, first vice president, Chester Branch NAACP; Rev. James Ley, member, Chester Branch NAACP; Pat Worrell, president, Action United; Andy Hoover, legislative director, ACLU of PA; Susan Gobreski, executive director, Education Voters of PA; Lora Lavin, vice president of issues and action, League of Woman Voters of PA; Otto Banks, executive director, REACH Alliance and Foundation; Sean McAleer, director of education, PA Catholic Conference; Dr. Steve Dill, head of school, DeLaware County Christian School; Dick Komer, Esq., senior attorney, Institute of Justice; and Phillip Murren, Esq., attorney, Ball, Murren & Connell
For more information about the Policy Committee and hearing materials, visit www.pahouse.com/PolicyCommittee.
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| CONTACT: Nicole Reigelman
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