Even with 'compelling case,' state can't offer schools hope

When City Council gave preliminary approval to a bill on Wednesday that would boost school funding by $18.4 million this upcoming year, they and other city leaders expressed hope that the move would convince Harrisburg lawmakers to also increase state funding to city schools.

Not so fast.

Key lawmakers yesterday said that although they are aware of the financial needs of Philadelphia's schools, money is tight across the state.

"In order to find additional funding for the Philadelphia School District, they would have to make a compelling case . . . and even then, it would be very difficult to find the money in the context of the current budget discussion," said state Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, a Republican whose district includes portions of Chester and Delaware counties.

David Atkinson, an aide to state Sen. Gibson Armstrong, majority chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: "It is a very difficult climate for anyone who is looking for more money because there is a broad consensus to not increase taxes and to have any spending increases held to something along the lines of a cost-of-living increase." Armstrong's district includes Lancaster and York counties.

"Given all of the program and spending requests that are pouring in, it's impossible to offer anyone a large measure of hope," Atkinson added. "People who work on the budget are very familiar with Philadelphia's budget. But they are also very familiar with the budgets of the other 500 school districts."

State Rep. Dwight Evans, a Philadelphia Democrat and majority chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said he would work hard to get all the additional funding Philadelphia needs, as long as school officials do not try to scale back funding to charter schools or to the 41 schools that are privately managed. "That's my caveat," he said.

Paul Vallas, the school district's outgoing chief executive, said he needs a 5.7 percent funding increase from the state - or about $14 million - to help balance the $2.18 billion 2007-08 budget.

Vallas also said he needs $9.2 million in new funding from the city along with the $18.4 million from the bill, sponsored by Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr.

Without the money, Vallas said, vacancies would go unfilled in job categories that include counselors, nurses, librarians and some teachers.

School Reform Commission Chairman James Nevels said he agrees with Evans on retaining funding for charters and privately run schools. Concerning the request for more state funding, he said: "Are we situated like others in the state? Absolutely. I'm respectful of Sen. Armstrong and the observations of his staff person. But just like Lancaster needs help, so do we. It is my hope that the House and Senate will do what they have always done - be supportive of our children. Even in tight times."

Goode's bill, which also would bring $97.2 million to city schools over five years, said he remained hopeful that more state funding would be coming.

Yesterday Council unanimously approved two amendments to his bill. One, which rounded numbers for accounting purposes, would result in the schools' getting $5,000 more a year. The other would require the reform commission to detail how the new funding would be spent, and how it would impact early-childhood education, dropout prevention, class sizes, school safety and after-school programs.

On Thursday Council is scheduled to cast a final vote on the bill, which is expected to pass.

Though Mayor Street would rather raise taxes to provide new school funding, he has not indicated that he would veto the bill, officials from his administration said. *