Schools: New Wolf budget illogical, 'almost futile'

As Gov. Wolf unveiled next year's proposed state budget while this year's spending plan remains in limbo, school administrators said Tuesday that they were no longer just frustrated - they're baffled and furious.

The governor's new proposal is "almost futile," said William Penn School District Superintendent Joseph Bruni, whose district is part of a lawsuit challenging the state's school funding system.

"It's discouraging," he said. "It's mind-boggling. I just think the whole process has become ridiculous, because this year's budget isn't passed, school districts are struggling more than ever, and they're talking about a budget for next year and nothing seems to have progressed."

"We cannot afford further delays or funding instability," said Philadelphia School Superintendent William R. Hite Jr.

"To develop next year's budget when we don't even have a current budget, I don't understand the logic," said John Toleno, superintendent of the Upper Merion Area School District.

"We understand, and share the frustration of schools across the state, that a 2015-16 state budget is not yet complete," said Wolf spokesman Jeff Sheridan, adding that the governor was required by law to deliver a 2016-17 budget by the end of the first week of February. "The governor has been fighting since day one to make historic funding increases to education."

Bruni said Wolf had run into a brick wall.

"No one seems to be listening," he said. "I think the only way this changes is if the public gets involved, and their voices have to be heard, which is not happening now."

As with many districts across the state that depend on state aid - only half of which has been allocated for this school year due to the budget impasse - William Penn has had to borrow money to pay its bills.

Bruni said the $9 million loan will not take the district to the end of the school year, meaning another round of borrowing, or worse. Wolf said if there's not a tax hike to cover the looming budget shortfall, as many as 23,000 layoffs could occur in school districts next year, and class sizes will swell by a third.

In the last year alone, 83 school districts increased property taxes above state-imposed caps because Harrisburg didn't produce a responsible budget, Wolf said, and 175 are contemplating additional tax increases this year for the same reason.

William Penn is not among them, however. The 5,100-student Delaware County district plans to hold taxes below the state caps, Bruni said, because "the board is very concerned about local taxpayers."

He had harsh words for elected officials who he said are blocking the budget, leaving schools and students stranded. "There's no sense of urgency," he said. "No sense of responsibility. They obviously don't care what happens to students in this state, or taxpayers."

"It's disheartening," he added. "There's no hope there."

In Philadelphia, Hite said the district might not have the cash needed to keep the lights on until the end of the term. Pennsylvania's largest district has already had to borrow once to meet payroll.

On Tuesday, Hite stressed how under the gun the district was.

"I support the governor's call for a responsible budget that restores and fully funds pre-K-to-12 education in our commonwealth," he said. "Public schools, students, and families throughout the state are in urgent need of funding."

"It's frustrating at best," said Upper Merion's Toleno. "If the local school districts conducted business the way business is being conducted right now [in Harrisburg] we would have serious problems on our hands."

Under the new budget, Upper Merion, a wealthy district in Montgomery County, had the highest percentage increase in its basic education subsidy in the region, though the actual amount, about $2.5 million, is among the lowest.

This year, as required by law, Upper Merion filed a request to raise taxes beyond the state index, but Toleno said that doesn't mean it will.

"We're going to wait it out and see," he said. "Our preliminary budget is a little over what we expected. We have to do some tweaking."

Alan Fegley, superintendent of the Phoenixville Area School District, said the district will make it through the end of the school year, but only by tapping its entire unencumbered reserve of $8 million.

"That puts us in a bad position, because we are going out for bonds" as the district moves forward on construction of two new schools, he said.

"All sides need to get together to do a budget. That is their constitutional obligation," Fegley said. "We are being held to doing our budgets."

Said Dana Spino, a spokeswoman for the Upper Darby School District: "It is difficult to comment on a proposed 2016-17 budget when there is no resolution to the 2015-16 budget as of yet."

kboccella@phillynews.com

610-313-8232@Kathy_Boccella

Staff writer Kristen A. Graham contributed to this article.