Think people aren’t concerned about the possible education cuts that are popping up in almost every school district across the region.
Take a look at what happened last night in Upper Darby.
The school board held a public hearing on the spending plan, which includes the same toxic mixture of jobs cuts, program rollbacks and tax hikes that are playing out in so many other towns.
But an interesting thing happened in Upper Darby. More than 600 people turned out for the hearing. Most spoke out against cutting jobs and diminishing education programs.
CLICK HERE to read the full story from last night's meeting.
That’s the way it usually works. Not many people come forward to say what they want to cut, however.
That is the predicament so many districts find themselves in these days.
Riding to the rescue, at least in part, is a new budget proposal unveiled this week by state Rep. Bill Adolph, R-165, of Springfield and his colleagues in the House.
They are looking to restore some of the funding stripped out by new Gov.
Tom Corbett. That’s right. Republicans in the House are differing with their new governor.
Right now Upper Darby is planning to eliminate 65 positions, both professional and non-professional staff, in a move to save $5.7 million. They already are planning a 2.7 percent tax hike.
That means the average taxpayer in the township, with a home assessed at $83,000, will pay an additional $69 next year, a total of $2,634, to cover the 31.73-mill tax levy.
How desperate is the situation? Several taxpayers actually came forward and suggested raising taxes in order to keep up education standards in the district.
School of hard knocks indeed.
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