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HARRISBURG, February 8, 2006 - State Sen. J. Barry Stout agrees with the
strong commitment to education established in Gov. Ed Rendell’s 2006-07
state budget, which was previewed today at the Capitol.
“The state is stepping up to the plate and increasing its level of support
for public education in the Commonwealth,” said Stout
(D-Washington/Greene/Beaver/Allegheny/Westmoreland). “We cannot move forward
as a state, if we do not adequately fund our schools.”
Under the Rendell budget, the total state investment in schools
(pre-kindergarten through 12th grade) would total $8.7 billion. The state
basic education subsidy would include a 5 percent increase or $224.6 million
over last year’s budget.
Locally, several Washington county districts would receive even more due to
a foundation supplement. This supplement was initiated in last year’s state
budget, and it would provide additional funding to those school districts
that spend less than $9,030 per student. For example, Burgettstown Area
School District would receive an 8.4 percent state funding increase, with
$173,000 in foundation supplement funding and $136,000 as a poverty
supplement.
Statewide, the Rendell budget would invest $20 million next year to put a
laptop computer on every student’s desk in 100 high schools. The budget
would also include $6 million to help train teachers in using this
technology more effectively in their classrooms.
The “Science: It’s Elementary” initiative in the 2006-07 budget would
provide $10 million to enhance science education in up to 150 elementary
schools across the state. This project would expand a pilot program
currently running in 48 southwestern Pennsylvania school districts that have
partnered with ASSET, a non-profit education initiative established by Bayer
Corporation.
Also, the Rendell budget would increase library funding by $14.1 million to
a total of $75.5 million.
Higher education would also get additional support under Rendell’s proposed
budget. With an extra $3.7 million provided to the New Technology
Scholarship Program, 500 more college students would receive grants to
pursue degrees in bioscience, engineering, genetics, polymer science, and
robotics. These students would commit to working in the state for several
years after attending a Pennsylvania college or university.
“This initiative will help convince more college students to remain in
Pennsylvania, work, start businesses, and start families,” said Stout.
“Young people are the lifeblood of our communities, and we need to give them
a reason to stay.”
Stout also praised the Jonas Salk Legacy Fund, a proposal to issue $500
million in bonds to help academic medical centers and universities upgrade
their facilities and provide grants to attract new companies and
institutions to the state.
“The Pittsburgh region is fortunate to have so many esteemed research
institutions,” said Stout. “We must support them and give them funding to
expand their facilities, so that they can stay ahead of the pack.”
Other important initiatives in the Rendell budget include the following:
*Cover All Kids - $14.6 million program to provide health coverage to 15,000
children who are presently uninsured
*PACE Plus Medicare - $224.8 million plan to ensure current PACE
participants do not pay higher prescription drug costs under Medicare Part D
and help 120,000 more seniors with their drug expenses
*Nursing Shortage - $10 million to address the state’s shortage of
health-care workers
*Transportation Infrastructure - $8 million (40 percent) increase to the
Department of Transportation’s Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank, which
offers municipalities low-interest loans for transportation projects that
offer the promise of economic development; $2 million increase to Rail
Freight Assistance program, which helps rehabilitate aging rail lines
*Business Tax Cuts - $221 million in tax cuts to improve the state’s
business climate
*No new state taxes or tax increases.
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