Taylor Backs Budget to Increase Funding to Philadelphia School District

6/28/2012

HARRISBURG – Rep. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia) has backed a final state budget that increases state funding to the Philadelphia school district.

“This is a responsible budget that funds vital services and increases funding for local education all without raising taxes,” Taylor said.

The budget passed by the legislature increases spending to the Philadelphia School District by $34.4 million over last year’s budget.

“These are challenging financial times, but I’ve worked hard to reprioritize state spending to make sure our schools have enough money to educate our kids,” Taylor said. “This budget goes a long to fulfilling that goal.”

While school districts throughout the state receive about a third of their funding from the state. Philadelphia, with its special challenges, receives almost 50 percent of its funds from the state.

The $27.66 billion budget passed by the Legislature also adds $246 million more to higher education than Gov. Tom Corbett proposed.

“We have a responsibility to fulfill the commitments we made to our state colleges and universities,” Taylor said.

The budget also includes $17.8 million to reduce the waiting list for services for 700 special education graduates and 430 individuals with intellectual disabilities with elderly caregivers. Overall, the legislature restored $84 million to the Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed 20 percent cut to county human services programs.

State Representative John Taylor
177th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Contact:
David Foster
215-744-2600

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