SV superintendent applauds budget proposal; Republican leader calls it ‘phishing scam’
PHOTO COURTESY / COMMONWEALTH MEDIA SERVICES - Governor Josh Shapiro delivers his budget address on Feb. 6, 2024.
SHENANDOAH – Shenandoah Valley School District’s Superintendent praised Governor Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal today, saying it gives the district “the chance to make choices based on maximizing our students’ amazing potential, not minimizing collateral damage.”
At the same time, House Republican leaders are calling it a “phishing scam,” and local legislators expressed concern.
“I applaud Governor Shapiro for taking real action for public schools in communities like mine by putting forward the first year of a transformative plan,” Superintendent Brian Waite said in a statement to the Sentinel. “Facing enormous funding gaps, educators in Shenandoah Valley make impossible choices for our students every day, shifting insufficient resources to some students who need them at the expense of others.”
“Now we have a real plan in Harrisburg to bridge those gaps, and to give us the chance to make choices based on maximizing our students’ amazing potential, not minimizing collateral damage,” Waite added.
Shapiro’s budget would increase basic education funding by $1.1 Billion and include a $900 Million adequacy investment, as recommended by the Basic Education Funding Commission.
The budget would also increase special education funding by $50 Million.
“This year, we have a real chance to build safer communities, become more competitive economically, and invest in our students and their success – and this budget lays out a comprehensive and aggressive focus on doing just that without raising taxes and maintaining a surplus of $11 billion at the end of June 2025,” Shapiro said. “Since my first day in office, I’ve been focused on getting stuff done – and this budget will continue to create opportunity for every Pennsylvanian with historic investments in economic development, education, healthier and safer communities, and much more.”
The $48.3 Billion budget proposal, with a $3.2 Billion increase from last year, takes advantage of the Commonwealth’s surplus to invest in Pennsylvanians and their future, Shapiro’s office said. The budget proposal does not raise taxes and even if every initiative is funded, the Commonwealth will still have an $11 billion surplus by the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year.
The Shenandoah Valley School District, Waite said, falls short in funding by about $10,000 per student or nearly $12 Million a year.
Republican leadership decried the budget proposal, with House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) calling it a “phishing scam.”
“If Pennsylvanians want to buy into this budget proposal, they will be buying into higher taxes, stagnant ideas, and good intentions balanced with irresponsible decisions,” Cutler said. “Contrary to what you may be led to believe, thanks to years of fiscally responsible leadership by Republicans, we remain on sound financial footing. Our problems can be managed by new thinking. They do not need to be managed by the new and future tax increases and the fiscal irresponsibility that will result from this budget proposal.”
Republican Appropriations Chairman Seth Grove (R-York) claimed it would “bankrupt Pennsylvania’s future and lead to tax hikes within the next four years.”
Local Republicans — who saw first-hand the struggles Shenandoah Valley faces in December — joined their colleagues in voicing concerns.
Senator David G. Argall (R-Schuylkill) said the plan is a 7.1% increase in state spending and “would exhaust the state’s savings account.”
“I want to do more to help our students and invest in Pennsylvania’s economy – the key question is what can our taxpayers afford,” Argall said. “We need to be realistic. We cannot follow California and New York down the path of reckless spending. Their choice, now that they have spent down their reserves, is to slash important programs or dramatically increase taxes. We don’t want to make the same mistake here in Pennsylvania.”
Rep. Dane Watro (R-Schuylkill) said more work lies ahead on the budget.
“The governor’s address is always the start of the annual budget process and I now look forward to working with my House colleagues in crafting a spending plan that moves Pennsylvania forward without placing a heavier burden on taxpayers,” Watro said. “Although I have some concern about the amount of new spending the governor is proposing, I am hopeful we can take a bipartisan approach in the months ahead in developing a reasonable and responsible state budget.”
Meanwhile, House Democrats supported Shapiro’s proposal, saying they “remain committed to fulfilling our constitutional and moral obligation to fund our public schools to ensure that every child, regardless of their ZIP code, has access to a quality public education.”
“To be clear, House Democrats insist that we fulfill our constitutional and moral obligation to fund our public schools; that we do more to invest in our colleges and universities; that we make smart investments to attract and retain businesses while protecting our workforce; and that we continue cutting costs for middle-class families,” they said in a collective statement. “We’re pleased that the governor continues to share our commitment to ensuring better schools, better jobs and better communities. We look forward to working with Governor Shapiro and the Shapiro Administration as we further explore the budget proposal at our upcoming budget hearings.”
In pushback against funding increases for public schools, Republicans have called for another state-led push to consolidate school districts, like those in the midcentury that created the Mahanoy Area, North Schuylkill, and Hazleton Area school districts that we know today. Prior to those pushes, nearly every municipality in northern Schuylkill County operated its own independent school district, generally with its own high school and primary schools.
Only Shenandoah and West Mahanoy Township survived those pushes as independent districts, with those two merging to create Shenandoah Valley in the late 60s on their own accord.
They have also called for creating a taxpayer-funded voucher program to cover private school tuition for students in public districts with low test scores.
There are no Catholic or non-religious private schools within the Sentinel‘s primary coverage area, though Shenandoah Valley students would qualify for a voucher.
The only private school in the area is the Shenandoah Christian School, a Mennonite school serving under ten students out of Dr. James Hu’s former office at Centre and Chestnut.
The nearest private high schools are in Hometown, Pottsville, Freeland, and near Shamokin.
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