Patch Poll: Should Public School Funding Grant Be Linked to State Liquor Store Privatization?

Gov. Tom Corbett's 2013-14 budget ties sale of state liquor system to a $1 billion grant for school safety, early education programs, individualized learning and science/math programs.

Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed 2013-14 budget, which he presented Feb. 5, contains an interesting cocktail that mixes the sale of the state's liquor system with funding of a public schools grant. Under his proposal, $1 billion obtained by the proposed privatization of the state's liquor sales would be used to create the Passport for Learning Block Grant that would focus on school safety; enhanced early education programs; individualized learning; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses and programs. The $1 billion in revenue to fund that grant will come from the three- to four-year process of selling the Liquor Control Board: $575 million from the wholesale license process, $224 million from the Wine and Spirits retail …

•  65 Comments
• Photos (1)

Joseph

1:47 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

I've been involved. I've seen the beast first hand. The only way to change it is to become a part of the special interest groups or run for office to diffuse the special interest groups (good luck winning an election without the support of special interest groups).   more ›

Gov. Corbett: Too Early To Tell if Funding for Mental Health Treatment Will Increase

While visiting St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories during a Presents for Patients event, the governor also spoke about the fiscal cliff and Pennsylvania's budget.

Gov. Tom Corbett—who called for more attention to mental illness in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings—would not commit Thursday to increased funding for mental health treatment. The governor said it is too early in the budget process to commit to increasing or decreasing funding for anything. His remarks came during a press conference at St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories in Valencia after a Presents for Patients presentation. Last week, the governor stressed the need to look at mental illness as reporters at a press conference pressed him on whether he would support an assault weapons ban. "It doesn’t matter whether it is an assault weapon or a handgun, it’s the mental illness issue that we have to work as much as we …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: State Cuts in Education Funding Are Unacceptable

Steven Singer represents the organization Tell Everyone All Cuts Hurt, which includes hundreds of teachers from school districts in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and around the state.

So this is how public education ends - not with a scream but with a whimper.   With apologies to T.S. Eliot, the above sentiment sums up the position of the thousands of parents, children and teachers in the TEACH organization with regard to the farce played out [last week] in Harrisburg — the passage of a 2011-12 state budget that unnecessarily slashes $1.1 billion from education, $860 million of which was lacerated from our public schools especially the poorer ones. Gov. [Tom] Corbett made it clear these are not just “austerity measures.” He did this by accepting four new vehicles for himself, Lt. Gov. Jim Crawley and their wives at a total cost to the taxpayers of $186,000. He did this by accepting a $30,000 pay raise for himself while …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)