Two Uniontown residents file petition against school consolidation referendum
Two Uniontown residents have filed an objection to a referendum petition filed by a South Union Township lawmaker seeking to ask voters about consolidating the administrations and school boards of Fayette County school districts.
Robert J. Frasconi of Orchard Lane and Delinda Young of Lawton Avenue filed an objection Wednesday in the prothonotary’s office objecting to the referendum petition filed by state Rep. Timothy Mahoney.
Earlier this month, Mahoney filed a petition for a referendum question and Wednesday marked the deadline for objections to be filed. The question is: “Do you support the dissolution of the school boards and administrations of the Fayette County public schools and the creation of a countywide school board and administration to oversee the daily operations and finances of each independent school district?”
Mahoney is seeking to have the question placed on the Nov. 8 municipal election ballot. He wants voters to decide if they are in favor of consolidating the administrations and school boards of the county’s six school districts.
If the referendum passes with a majority vote, the onus would fall on the school districts to implement the consolidation. Mahoney has said he believes property taxes would be lowered by cost savings and everyone would work toward educating children.
In their objection, Young and Frasconi claim the referendum petition doesn’t state the referendum-authorizing statute; doesn’t contain the date in which the voters signed the petition; and that the period of the circulation of the petition exceeds the period for circulating a petition specified in the election code.
Young and Frasconi’s petition also maintains:
n There isn’t a provision of the school code authorizing a referendum to dissolve individual school district boards and create an elected county school board.
n Dissolving an elected school board under the school code isn’t authorized by the chapter of state law Mahoney cites.
n The electorate of any one of the school districts isn’t authorized to dissolve the boards of the other.
The petition was filed by Young and Frasconi without an attorney.
Mahoney said Wednesday that he can’t understand why two people want to take away the rights of the people to decide their future. Mahoney said everyone knows the financial shape the county is in and how senior citizens can’t afford to pay more taxes.
“I’m trying to give people an option to have a voice in change,” Mahoney said. “I hope that whoever decides this sees the bigger picture.”
Mahoney said he obtained more than 3,000 signatures from county voters who want to voice an opinion on how schools are run. He added that the petition isn’t going to deter him from trying to change and to give voters a voice in the process. The issue will go to motions court where it will be assigned a judge and a hearing will be scheduled.