Former Phila. SRC Chair and His Replacement Say They'll Move Schools Forward Together
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Now that he's no longer challenging Gov. Wolf's move to remove him as head of the School Reform Commission, Bill Green and the new SRC chair say they share a common goal.
New SRC chair Marjorie Neff says the fact that Bill Green is not going to court to try to keep the chairmanship removes a potential distraction.
"It speaks to his dedication to this service, because this is public service," she said today. "And it's going to make it easier for us to work together."
Green says that means a united front to help schools superintendent William Hite win the concessions he's seeking from the teachers' union.
"We don't believe there is any daylight between the position of the members on the SRC, which is to get Bill (Hite) and his team the work rules, the seniority, health benefits, and compensation that they need to be successful," Green said.
At a joint news conference this morning at school headquarters, Green and Neff said they would work together to support Mayor Nutter's $105-million property tax increase to fund schools.
Neff said the increase amounts to 30 cents a day for Philadelphia property owners.
"I can't imagine that there's anyone in Philadelphia that wouldn't be willing to put aside 30 cents a day for better education for all of the kids here," she said.
Green, a former city councilman, was asked about the political realities of raising taxes in an election year. He laughed when he recommended that Council hold off voting on the mayor's plan until after the primary election.
"My suggestion to my colleagues would be to not vote until after May 19th, and then give us the funding that the mayor has requested!" he said.
Both Green and Neff say that while there may be different ideologies among the five commissioners, they share a goal of securing more funding to put Hite's plan into effect.
