Tuesday, it was revealed that Tom Wolf supported immediately having all basic education funding run through the Basic Education Funding Formula, even before his June 29th announcement.

On June 21st, The Philadelphia Tribune reported that Philadelphia-based education-funding advocacy group Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower and Rebuild’s (POWER) executive director met with the Governor’s office to discuss House Bill 2501, legislation sponsored by Rep. Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) that would immediately run all state basic education money through the Basic Education Funding Formula.

According to the article, POWER executive director Rev. Gregory Holston said of that meeting in relation to the bill:

“We met with the Governor’s chief of staff and they were supportive…We need 100 percent of our state education dollars to go through the fair funding formula. It is fair. It is just. [And] it serves all of our children across the state”

This means the Governor supported cutting $1.2 billion from a combined 362 rural and already-struggling school districts even before his surprise announcement on June 29th.

In response, Republican Party of Pennsylvania Communications Director Jason Gottesman made the following statement:

“Try as he might, Tom Wolf cannot hide from the fact that he is in support of a disastrous proposal that would cut $1.2 billion from 362 school districts.

“This plan would leave rural and already-struggling Pennsylvania schools behind while catering to the Governor’s electoral and special interest power base.”

###

BACKGROUND:

Last week, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania launched www.tomwolfcutsschools.com, a website outlining the full-effect of Tom Wolf’s school funding plan.