Philadelphia School Officials Prepare To Make Drastic Budget Cuts
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia school officials are preparing to make deep cuts in staff and services, should Governor Corbett's budget become reality.
School District budget chief Michael Masch says with $100 million less in state revenue, the district has to close a $465 million budget gap. Deputy Superintendent Lee Nunery says the cutting includes more furlough days for top administrators, and a 30-percent cut in central office staff.
"If we don't show first the impact here in squeezing down head count and reducing programs and reducing spending, we can't then go to the schools," Nunery said. "We need to do it here first."
School level cuts could include teacher layoffs and cuts in arts, music and athletics.
The district is holding two public meetings on the planned budget cuts:
-Thursday, March 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ben Franklin High School
-SaturdayMarch 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at South Philadelphia High School.
Reported by Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio
