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Hite: No layoffs or delayed opening for Philly schools

Philadelphia School District Superintendent William Hite announced Friday that schools will open on time and will not make additional layoffs, despite an $81 million deficit.

Philadelphia School District Superintendent William Hite announced Friday that schools will open on time and avoid massive layoffs, but will reduce services to help close an $81 million deficit.

Hite said the district is banking on assurances from state elected officials that a Philadelphia cigarette tax will be approved, which could generate between $40 million and $50 million this school year. If that does not happen by Oct. 1, the next step would be significant layoffs, he said.

"Today we are not announcing that there is a mass number of layoffs," the superintendant said at a news conference. "We are unfortunately having to do cuts that we hope are temporary, but we're not completely out of the woods yet on this. It all depends on the cigarette tax. It also depends on labor.

"And if not, we will be revisiting this in October."

The service reductions, expected to save an estimated $30 million, include changes to transportation that will force high school students to walk an extra half-mile, leaving school police vacancies unfilled, scaling back alternative education programs and reducing building maintenance and repairs.

The district is also asking for major concessions from the teachers' union, which include contribution to benefits in line with what blue-collar workers and administrators have agreed to. Union president Jerry Jordan has said they are willing to contribute to benefits, but not at the level the district is requesting. The district is also seeking an overhaul to work rules that would effectively eliminate seniority regarding recalls and transfers.

School Reform Commission chair Bill Green said the only way to end the cycle of cuts is to receive stable, recurring revenues from the state, and for labor unions to contribute to a "shared solution."

"The actions we are announcing today are serious and will have an impact on families, students and staff," Green said. "We continue to have to take these steps and it's not fair."