Your Chance to Talk Property Taxes, Education Funding

South Hall of Montgomery County Community College's 

West Campus

The House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing to discuss property taxes and “education funding cuts” at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9 at the Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus South Hall on College Drive.

“The committee will hear from stakeholders — including school board members, superintendents, education advocates and the AARP — who will discuss education funding cuts and their impact on property taxes,” according to information posted on the Facebook page of state Rep. Mark Painter, D-146th Dist.

“Since 2010-11, the average classroom in Pennsylvania public schools has lost $11,575 in annual funding, and the poorest school districts have lost more than $20,000,” Painter posted.

“I remain disappointed that the overall state budget failed to adequately or fully fund public

Mark Painter

education as a whole. While the state legislature completed the budget process in early July, sadly, it did not restore the $1 billion in education funding cuts that Gov. Tom Corbett has delivered and retained in his last two budget cycles,” Painter said in his post.

“Children and their families are adversely affected when school districts are underfunded. This lack of funding, which has been a hallmark of the state budgets under Gov. Corbett, causes many school districts to make hard choices. I don’t support teacher lay-offs or cuts in vital programs such as music and art while property taxes continue to rise,” Painter wrote. “This double-edged sword of diminishing educational programs and rising taxes is unsustainable.”