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Philadelphia City Council President Hopes To Keep Schools Intact

By Special Contributor Larry Kane

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - With a new cigarette tax and pressure for other revenue the president of Philadelphia's city council is still hoping to keep the schools intact.

Parents are up in arms about drastic cuts in the school budget.

The slashed budget has been passed, but Council President Darrell Clarke says he will fight till September.

"The reality is, even if we get asking for, there still needs to be an additional infusion of resources and revenue. It depends on the approach. We cannot have a situation in September where the schools are not allowed to function at any level because I believe that if we don't come up with $300-million those schools will essentially be a place where you kept the lights on, the employees come in and children don't learn," says Clarke.

Listen:

VOR

Clarke thinks the new cigarette tax coupled with a helping hand from Harrisburg can save the schools. He insists the fight is not over as he joins us Sunday on VOR on TCN at 9:30 p.m.

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