Local+legislators+take+party+line+on+state+budget

=By Patrick Cloonan= =Published by the McKeesport Daily News= =6/30/12= = = = = = = = = =Pennsylvania has a budget for the fiscal year that begins Sunday, and Duquesne City School District has legislation that allows it to transfer seventh- and eighth-graders to West Mifflin Area and East Allegheny districts.= = = =By a 32-17 vote Friday, the state Senate ratified changes in the budget made by the House, and sent the finished bill to Gov. Tom Corbett.= = = ="I don't have a problem making tough choices and voting for a tough budget that reflects a difficult economy," Sen. Timothy Solobay, D-Canonsburg, said.= = = = "This budget simply dodges tough choices and responsibility, sending it down the line to local government, school boards, hospitals and local agencies." = = = =Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa Jr., D-Forest Hills, said, "The plan is a stark departure from the harsh budget proposed by Gov. Corbett in February."= = = =Costa said it includes funding that Senate Democrats were seeking for Accountability Block Grants, higher education and mortgage protection.= = = =The House passed the budget by a 120-81 vote on Thursday. Rep. George Dunbar, R-Penn Township, compared his yes vote to the times he had to tell his four daughters "no." = = = = "We would like to fulfill everyone's request for more funding, but as stewards of your tax dollars this year we had to once again do the responsible thing and say no to excess spending," Dunbar said. "In fact, I would have preferred to spend slightly less than we actually voted for." = = = = Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, believes a lot of children were told "no." = = = = "Gov. Corbett and the Republican-controlled General Assembly again have ganged up against the public school system," Kortz said. = = = = Rep. Marc J. Gergely, D-White Oak, was among the 11 Democrats to go along with 109 of the House's 110 Republicans. He could not be reached for comment at presstime. = = = =Dunbar contends that, when all is totaled, schools and education-related programs across the state will benefit from an increase of more than $300 million in funding from what they received last year.= = = =Kortz said some districts were cut worse than others. He said Upper St. Clair lost only $20 per student and $1,975 per classroom, while Duquesne saw a cut of $1,521 per student and $38,000 per classroom.= = = ="This budget will further cripple public education," the Dravosburg Democrat said.= = = =Also on Thursday, the state House voted 106-95 to concur in Senate changes to House Bill 1307, which opens the door to increasing the number of students Duquesne can transfer to another district.= = = =That was one of a series of amendments inserted in the bill by Senate Education Chairman Jeffrey Piccola, R-Harrisburg. He said a financial recovery plan that also is included will cover Duquesne, Harrisburg, York and Chester-Upland, all districts deemed by state officials to be distressed.= = = ="Our commonwealth has stepped up to the plate and exercised bold leadership to provide tools to structurally reform these failing districts," Piccola said.= = = =That bill also goes to Corbett for his signature.= = = =All area Democrats voted against the measure. Statewide, only one Democrat voted for it.= = = =All area Republicans voted for the measure. Five of their GOP colleagues voted against it.= = = =Kortz said he believes that Education Secretary Ron Tomalis plans the likely transfer of additional Duquesne students "without any public input or official notice or announcement to the public."= = = =The Pennsylvania Department of Education did not have a response regarding the Duquesne situation. However, a spokesman there said no breakdown will be available on public school subsidies until after Corbett signs the bill.= = = = = = = = = = = = = =news= =home=