Title
Authorizing the Committee of the Whole Council to hold hearings regarding the impact of the proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 state budget on all City of Philadelphia government services and infrastructure, and services provided by governmental and quasi-governmental entities including, but not limited to, the Philadelphia School District, state institutions of higher education, and SEPTA.
Body
WHEREAS, On February 7, 2012, Governor Corbett presented to the Pennsylvania General Assembly a proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2012-13 state budget that allocated $27.138 billion for the general fund of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The proposed FY 2012-2013 state budget includes significant reductions to funding for education, human services, transportation, and more, all of which will have an adverse impact on Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The proposed FY 2012-13 state budget includes an increase for K-12 education from $5.3 billion this fiscal year to $5.4 billion next fiscal year, but also eliminates $100 million in grants that help fund full-day kindergarten and other school programs, and is expected to result in a net reduction in funding to the School District of Philadelphia, which continues to face significant fiscal challenges; and
WHEREAS, The proposed FY 2012-13 state budget reduces education funding for state institutions of higher education by $625 million - a more than 50 percent cut - which will have a significant impact on Temple University and other local institutions; and
WHEREAS, The proposed FY 2012-13 state budget reduces transportation funding by approximately 9 percent, from $6.43 billion this year to $5.86 billion next year, at the same time that Pennsylvania has more structurally deficient bridges than any other state (more than 5,000), including 362 in Philadelphia, for which the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is responsible for maintenance; and
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