School Reform Commission Adopts Budget
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With no state budget in sight, the School Reform Commission Tuesday night had to cross its fingers in hope as it adopted a spending plan for next year.
Philadelphia principals have already outlined how they would spend the extra $159 million Governor Wolf's budget would provide. But with no indication when the governor and Republican-controlled legislature will agree on a budget, the SRC approved a $2.6 billion spending plan with an asterisk -- saying that extra money won't be spent unless it's in the final state budget.
"We will need at least $18 million from the state in order to maintain, as we like to say, the inadequate status quo budget levels that our schools are currently operating under," said District Chief Financial Officer Matt Stanski.
Stanski says he's confident the district will get enough to break even. But SRC chair Marjorie Neff says without more, the district will have another bare-bones year.
"Unless we have a substantial increase in funding from the state for this year, we'll be there again," said Neff.
