Legislators+to+Host+Town+Hall+Meeting+at+McKeesport+High

=By Patrick Cloonan= =//Published in the McKeesport Daily News//= =//4/20/11//= = = = = =Area state lawmakers are joining in another bid to get Gov. Tom Corbett to alter his proposal for reduced funding of public education.= =State Reps. Marc J. Gergely, D-White Oak, and Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, released a letter yesterday inviting officials to a town hall meeting May 5 from 7-9 p.m. in McKeesport Area High School auditorium.= ="We believe the public has a right to (be) informed about the possible effects and outcomes of this proposed budget," wrote the two lawmakers.= =Kortz also announced the town hall meeting to borough councils in Glassport and Dravosburg. In Dravosburg he said state Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Carrick, will take part in the MAHS town hall meeting.= =It`s part of a campaign Kortz and Gergely have taken to municipal and school board meetings across their respective districts.= ="To balance the budget, our new governor decided to slash funding by $1 billion to basic education and $500-plus million to higher education," they wrote in a letter dated April 11. "This proposal will have a devastating effect on our students, local school districts, and families."= =The letter was released a day after six school administrators discussed budgetary problems with Sen. James R. Brewster, D-McKeesport, and state Senate Appropriations Minority Chairman Vincent J. Hughes, D-Philadelphia, at Tillie`s in McKeesport.= =Those attending included superintendent Dr. Timothy M. Gabauer from McKeesport Area School District, whose board of directors held its workshop Monday.= =The board will consider at its voting meeting April 27 a resolution utilizing federal Title 1 funds to maintain a full-day kindergarten program for the coming year.= =That money would be utilized "in the absence of the (Accountability Block Grants) due to the current state budget crisis."= =According to figures provided by the Pennsylvania State Education Association, McKeesport Area state funds for 2011-12 will drop from $26.38 million to $21.9 million, including the loss of more than $1 million in an ABG, part of a program developed in Gov. Ed Rendell`s administration.= =The MASD board also plans to vote on an early retirement incentive for professional employees. Approximately 20 district personnel could qualify for such an incentive.= =Elsewhere, Steel Valley teachers formed a TEACH Committee, or Tell Everyone All Cuts Hurt, and announced a public meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Steel Valley High School auditorium where committee members and school board members will meet to determine how to work together to fight the proposed budget cuts.= =PSEA, whose affiliates include the Steel Valley Education Association, said Steel Valley funding drops under Corbett`s plan from $9.49 million in 2010-11 to $7.5 million in 2011-12.= =McKeesport Area and Steel Valley would be among the hardest-hit in terms of funding per student, according to information released by House Appropriations Minority Chairman Joseph Markosek, D-Monroeville.= =Duquesne City at $2,561 takes the second-biggest cut in the state and Clairton City at $1,480 gets the fourth-largest.= =After Pittsburgh and Sto-Rox, McKeesport Area at $1,014 per student ranks fifth in Allegheny County and Steel Valley at $972 is sixth. South Allegheny is ninth and East Allegheny 11th in the county.= =Kortz, Gergely and state Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa Jr., D-Forest Hills, whose district includes the Steel Valley area, were invited to that SVHS meeting.= =//Staff Writers Michael DiVittorio and Stacy Lee contributed to this report.//= = = = Read more: [|Legislators to host town hall meeting at McKeesport High - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review] [] =

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