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DN Editorial: SO, IT'S PLAN B: That's more city money for schools, and Mayor Nutter pushing for it

AS ECONOMIST and diplomat John Kenneth Galbraith wrote, politics is not always about the choice between good and bad, it sometimes involves "choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable." When it comes to the fate of the city's public schools, this is one of those times.

AS ECONOMIST and diplomat John Kenneth Galbraith wrote, politics is not always about the choice between good and bad, it sometimes involves "choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable." When it comes to the fate of the city's public schools, this is one of those times.

Despite months of debate in Harrisburg, the situation of the Philadelphia School District remains perilous. City and district leaders had hoped to get additional aid from Gov. Corbett. That aid did not materialize, not in any serious way.

To help the schools, Mayor Nutter proposed a $2-a-pack tax on cigarettes sold in the city that would have raised $45 million this year. The Legislature left town without even considering his plan.

The bottom line is that the schools, hoping to get $60 million from the city and $120 million from the state, came up short. Way short.

Given the failure of Harrisburg to act, the Committee of Seventy wants the city to do more. Zack Stalberg, head of the civic-watchdog group, has urged Nutter to call Council back into session and amend the city's $3.8 billion budget to extract the equivalent of 1 or 2 percent to help the schools. One percent would bring in $38 million more; 2 percent $76 million.

The Committee of Seventy's recommendation makes sense, but the situation is not clear-cut. Under state law, once the city commits to giving extra money to the district, it cannot reduce it the next year - or any time in the future. That should not be, and it needs to change.

If the city steps forward with additional money, it also lets Harrisburg off the hook, even though the state has the means, the power and a constitutional obligation to support public schools.

In short, we find the committee's recommendation unpalatable. But, we believe the alternative - to do nothing - would be disastrous.

The fate of 3,800 district employees, who were laid off as of June 30, can be addressed only through concrete action, not talk. It became clear in recent weeks that while Corbett was ready to offer lip service about helping the schools, he never delivered. So, the city must step up and find additional money.

Nutter has been a vocal champion of the district, leading rallies to press for more funds, making lobbying trips to Harrisburg to seek more aid. Now comes the true test of his support. Plan A did not work. As the Committee of Seventy has suggested, it is time for Plan B. As unpalatable as it is, the city must step forward with more money.

It is time for someone to lead. We know it won't be Tom Corbett, who couldn't care less about Philadelphia and its distressed schools. We know it won't be the Philadelphia delegation in Harrisburg, which has proved itself inept once again at advancing a pro-Philadelphia agenda.

When it comes to Philadelphia's schoolchildren, we cannot afford a disaster. It is up to Nutter to exercise his leadership and provide additional aid to the schools with a direct grant from the city budget.