Jul 31, 2002 1 min read

Lawmakers looked for a moment like heroes to financially strapped school districts. Instead of a paltry 1- percent increase in basic education funding proposed by the governor, the General Assembly during budget negotiations upped the subsidies. Local schools received between 2- to nearly 5-percent increases. Not bad, considering most had already formed budgets expecting little additional help from the state.

At first glance it appears lawmakers are finally realizing that the state neglects to fully fund its share in educating youngsters. Instead of paying half the bill, the state picks up slightly more than a third. Yet in granting this new money, lawmakers seem to think they should say how it should be spent.

School districts were given three choices: use it pay down debt, restore funding for reduced or eliminated programs or lower the property tax millage.

Chances are that most school districts would have used this money for one of these options anyway. That lawmakers gave explicit directions reveals the Harrisburg heavies’ arrogance in that they know better than local school boards who have spent countless hours struggling with budgets and defining their students’ needs.