GOP+Legislators+Say+New+Proposal+Heeds+Education+Funding+Concern

=By Patrick Cloonan= =//Published in the McKeesport Daily News//= =//5/6/11//= = = = = =Republicans in the state legislature said they are preparing a budget proposal that will answer many of the concerns about funding for public education.= ="We found some cuts in other parts of the budget," state Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Elizabeth Township, said Thursday night. "Some of the money has been maneuvered back into education."= =The 39th District assemblyman said GOP legislators will release their proposal Monday, after Gov. Tom Corbett`s actual budget is sent to the House.= ="We`re not hurting the kids," Saccone insisted. "Everyone has to be able to take a cut somewhere and we all have to share in it."= =He said most school officials have expressed concern about restoring the Accountability Block Grant that helped fund full-day kindergarten.= ="We will be able to restore some of those grants," Saccone said. He expected that cuts could be made in the governor`s welfare proposal.= =At events sponsored by Democratic lawmakers in McKeesport Thursday, state Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, criticized Corbett for proposing a 26 percent or $2.3 billion increase in welfare spending and an 11 percent or $186 million increase in spending for prisons.= ="(Districts) are going to have to make some cuts but we are going to help them weather those cuts," Saccone said. "We`ve offered to help them with mandate relief."= =That is, school districts will be offered relief from requirements such as that which bars furloughs for economic reasons.= =In another case, Saccone said, "one school district told me they have to keep an open seat on the school buses for every student, even if they don`t use the bus."= =Saccone is a former Elizabeth Forward school director whose 39th Legislative District also includes West Jefferson Hills, Ringgold and South Park Township and Clairton City school districts.= ="The people in Clairton are really fighting hard to save their school," Saccone said. "I`m fighting just as hard to help them save it."= =Saccone said he`s talked to a couple of his former colleagues on the EF board as well as the superintendent.= ="I like to listen to everyone," the Elizabeth Township Republican said. "I`ve listened to a lot of teachers ... but the taxpayers have spoken loud and clear. They don`t want a tax increase."= =Saccone also addressed what he called "demagoguery" at the McKeesport event, particularly Kortz`s suggestion that state government officials should "lead by example" and take a 10 percent budget cut.= ="I`ve declined the pension (given to lawmakers)," Saccone said. "That is a pay cut. I challenge them to decline their pensions."= =Kortz and other Democratic state lawmakers called for pressure on their Republican colleagues, particularly Saccone and Reps. George Dunbar of Penn Township and Eli Evankovich of Murrysville, a former U.S. Steel Irvin Plant financial analyst.= =Rep. Marc J. Gergely, D-White Oak, pointed to former Rep. David Levdansky, D-Forward Township, in the audience. Saccone defeated Levdansky last fall.= ="You were a friend of public education," Gergely told Levdansky. "I sure wish you were still there."= = = = Read more: [|GOP legislators say new proposal heeds education funding concerns - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review] [] = = =

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