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Scarnati: Schools, property owners win big |
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Local Content -
Local News
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Written by Larry McGuire
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Thursday, 08 October 2009 |
HARRISBURG — As the state budget impasse enters its 100th day today, Jefferson County continues playing a major role in the process.
Though they hail from the same county — House Minority Leader Sam Smith from Punxsy, and Senate President Pro Tempore and Lt. Gov. Joe Scarnati from Brockway — the latest proposal has Smith and Scarnati on opposite sides.
Smith and the House Republicans call the proposal "a bad deal," while Scarnati and Senate Republicans have embraced the latest proposal.
Scarnati said property owners will end up being the big winners.
"The amount of state and federal dollars that school districts could receive under the 2009-10 budget proposal — currently in front of the legislature — is tremendous and should offset the need for any property tax increases in the foreseeable future," he said. "This property owners."
Scarnati said schools in the 25th Senatorial District will receive anywhere from a six percent to a 15.5 percent increase in their overall subsidies.
"Pennsylvania has increased funding to our school districts by approximately 31 percent over the past seven years," he said. "The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has shown significant support for education while, at the same time, not taking anymore money out of taxpayers' paychecks.
"I am confident that school districts will also be able to strike the same balance with funding educational priorities without raising property taxes."
Scarnati said that the significant increase in education funding is the main difference in this proposal from the House Republicans' proposal.
"House Republicans have chosen not to be involved in the budget process mainly due to the difference in education funding," he said. "Of course, given the windfall of support for education in this year's budget proposal, there should be no need to see anyone's property taxes escalate.
"I have stated all along that this budget had to meet the parameters of no broad-based tax increases, a budget that spends less than last year, and one that is sustainable," Scarnati said. "Those objectives were met and, at the same time, we were able to take care of our children. It was a difficult process, where many wonderful programs suffered some cuts."
Scarnati said school districts stand to do very well.
"One of the reasons for this increase was to ensure that school districts would not need to raise taxes on our property owners," he said. "At the end of the day, the governor has to sign the bill so this budget stalemate has to come to an end.
"It's a shame that this agreement comes 100 days late," Scarnati said. "I'm sure the House Republicans also realize this, and will come on board, too," Scarnati said.
"While this budget impasse has gone on for far too long, I'm pleased that we will be able to get it right, and property owners will end up being the big winners," he said.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 09 October 2009 )
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