Schools+encouraged+to+sue+Corbett+over+budget+cuts

= = =By Mary Niederberger= =//Published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette//= =//9/23/11//= = = = = = = = = =State Rep. Bill Kortz is encouraging school districts that have been hard hit by state education funding cuts of nearly $1 billion to join together in a class action suit against Gov. Tom Corbett to get funding restored.= =Mr. Kortz, D-Dravosburg, told the West Mifflin Area school board Thursday the state budget cuts cost the district $798,000 and resulted in staff layoff and program cuts.= =He called the state education budget a "discriminatory budget" because it cut more funds from poor districts than from wealthy ones.= ="It's wrong. It's absolutely wrong and the children suffer because of it," Mr. Kortz said.= =He predicted that the governor and Republican legislators are going to approve an even more austere education budget next year along with a plan to provide vouchers for school choice among families.= =Mr. Kortz also said he believed the Duquesne City School District and likely the Clairton City School District would close.= =He said he and state Rep. Marc Gergely, D-White Oak, are visiting school boards throughout their areas to suggest the class action lawsuit. Mr. Kortz said the South Allegheny school board already has approved a resolution to join in any such suit.= =On the West Mifflin board, School Director Ted Cale asked Solicitor Gary Matta to prepare a similar resolution.= =Mr. Kortz said the lawsuit could be modeled after one filed against the administration of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, which he said resulted in a judge's order in May for the state to restore $850 million for education in that state.= =Read more: [|http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11266/1176992-100.stm#ixzz1Yp8wNC9x] = = = =News= =home=