State lawmakers have scaled back the amount by which Gov. Tom Corbett proposed to slash direct education spending.

The key word is "direct." Due to the school funding formula, the House's restoration of nearly $230 million of the $810 million in cuts originally proposed by Mr. Corbett, still will leave cuts falling disproportionately upon districts that can least afford them.

In Scranton, for example, the House budget would restore more than $500,000 but result in reduced state funding of more than $5.4 million.

Mr. Corbett and legislative Republicans also plan to prevent districts from covering the losses even by local referendum.

Since 2006 state law has provided for local referendums on school budgets with tax increases that exceed a state-designated inflation index. Pennsylvania has 500 school districts, but only 14 referendums have been conducted. One passed; 13 failed. Five failed by more than 80 percent.

There have been few referendums for two reasons. The law includes 10 exemptions by which districts may raise taxes without the referendum. And, the referendum was adopted as part of a state commitment to steadily increase the state's percentage of education funding, thus relieving the pressure for local tax increases.

The administration and GOP lawmakers now plan to eliminate the exemptions. So districts would not be able to raise taxes without referendums even to cover legally and contractually required costs such as pension increases and escalating health care premiums.

Lawmakers could reform the pension law, but that would require them to relinquish their own outlandish pension deals. They also could establish a statewide health care plan for teachers, but that would put pressure on them to diminish their own sweet health care plans.

The indirect maneuvering ensures that local districts, especially poor ones, will have no choice but to eviscerate programs as the state sits on $540 million in unanticipated tax collections and lawmakers hoard their own $180 million operating surplus. But, kids can't vote.