Speech by Marc Stier — Education Funding Rally at the Capitol

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on May 8, 2024.   May 8, 2024 The data is clear. The Courts have ruled. The defendants in the case didn’t appeal the decision. This Commonwealth has systematically discriminated against kids in low-income, Black, and brown communities for decades. How can anyone look the kids and parents of this commonwealth in the eye and say, “I oppose fully and fairly funding your education”? The only answer the opponents have given is “we can’t afford it.” Yet there is $14 billion in the state’s bank accounts that would cover at least the first four years of the program, while leaving billions in the rainy day fund. To that, the opponents say we can’t use that money for recurring expenses. Yet yesterday they voted for a proposal that would create a $2.7 billion reduction in recurring revenues and soon use up the entire surplus. So… Continue reading

Republicans Choose Tax Cuts for the Rich over Funding Education

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on May 7, 2024. Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) introduced legislation to cut Pennsylvania’s personal income tax rate from the current 3.07% to 2.8%. This legislation is both deeply cynical and totally revealing of the unfortunate priorities of Republicans in Harrisburg. For it shows us that, once again, they have chosen to cut taxes for the rich rather than fund education fully and fairly. Ever since a majority of the Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC), with the support of Governor Shapiro, embraced a seven-year plan to meet the constitutional obligation to fund our schools, the Republicans have had only one response: “We can’t afford it.” They did not appeal the Commonwealth Court decision, which declares that the current system of funding schools is unconstitutional. They did not propose an alternative to the BEFC plan. They just said, “We can’t afford it,” even… Continue reading