Wolf’s budget could boost bottom line
LANSDALE >> It’s far from a done deal, but last week’s budget address from Governor Tom Wolf could contain good news for the North Penn School District.
“What is proposed in the governor’s budget is not a guarantee, but it is an indication of what are the priorities of the administration, and what they are asking of the legislature for the finalized budget,” said Assistant Director of Business Administration Kristin Johnson.
In January staff and the school board continued talks on the district’s 2021-22 budget, and said the first draft with worst-case assumptions shows a $15.5 million deficit, prior to any tax increase, cuts in spending or state or federal aid. That presentation followed a board vote in December 2020 to
stay within the state-mandated Act 1 index of a 3 percent tax increase for the upcoming year without a voter referendum, which staff have said could generate roughly $5.5 million in new revenue toward narrowing that deficit.
During the board’s finance committee meeting on Tuesday night, Johnson outlined the several takeaways staff saw in Wolf’s Feb. 3 budget address, which called for higher taxes and increased education spending across the state.
“Throughout the budget, there were three priorities identified that are applicable
to North Penn: those being, an increase in funding, and a change in the funding approach for basic education; an increase in special education funding; and charter school reform, including funding and accountability,” Johnson said.
On basic education funding, Johnson told the board, the state legislature set up a bipartisan commission in 2014 to recommend a new school funding formula, which was finalized in 2016 and has been used for new funding since then.
“At this point in time, only 11 percent of total funding is flowing through that new formula — we’re using this out-of-date formula for 89 percent of our funding,” she said.
“That’s creating an unfair funding system across
the state, and it’s hurting our students and our taxpayers,” she said.
Wolf’s plan calls for an additional $1.3 billion in new state educational funding, and shifting all state education funding to the new formula, which could result in roughly $8.4 million in new state funding for North Penn.
“That is a substantial amount of money,” Johnson said, and could make up roughly half of the first-draft deficit for the upcoming year.
On special education funding, Johnson said, Wolf has recommended an additional $200 million for that specific category, which under current funding formulas would produce a new $422,378 for North Penn, or 6.36 percent more than current levels.
And on charter school reform: District officials have spoken repeatedly in recent years about how growing cyber and charter school costs have largely caused the district’s widening deficit, and Johnson said Wolf’s proposals include establishment of a flat $9,500 rate for all charter school tuitions, which could produce savings of roughly $600,000 for the district.
As of 2019 Pennsylvania had 14 designated cyber schools, and taxpayer funding of $500 million went to those schools in 2019, out of a total of $1.9 billion that went to charters — a number expected to jump to $3 billion in 2021, Johnson said.
“That would mean one in five dollars that every taxpayer is paying, for real estate
taxes, is going to charter schools within the next year,” she said.
Board President Tina Stoll said that cyber charter cost figure caught her attention, particularly when comparing it to the local district and its infrastructure.
“North Penn has 21 actual buildings, 18 actual schools, and we have a budget of $280 million. So that’s 25 percent more (buildings), and a little under half the budget. Where is all that money going?” Stoll said.
Board member Jonathan Kassa added that the state’s main charter school funding bill was passed in 1997, with only minor changes since: “It’s been over 20 years since they’ve ever even looked at that law.”
Board member Christian Fusco said residents should
be aware that Wolf’s address was only the first step in a process largely controlled by lawmakers.
“The governor has nothing to do with actually passing a budget. He’ll sign a budget, but it’s the state legislature’s job to take up the work of actually saying ‘Here’s what we’re going to do to reform charter schools’,” he said.
“Your budget reflects your priorities, and clearly this budget reflects a high priority on public education. We need people to encourage their state legislators to pass a budget that reflects what the governor is putting forward.”
North Penn’s school board next meets at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18; for more information visit www.NPenn. org.
Barely a year removed from Tommy John surgery, Didi Gregorius opted for one-year contract with the Phillies in Dec. 2019 as a springboard to a longer-term deal.
Turns out, he got that in Philadelphia, too.
The Phillies formalized a twoyear, $28 million deal for the shortstop Wednesday, Gregorius getting the term he wanted at the same base salary as last year.
Gregorius will turn 31 next week. He batted .284 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs in 60 games in 2020. While a slew of shortstops – Andrelton Simmons with the Twins, Marcus Semien with Toronto – signed one-year deals, president of baseball operations David Dombrowski had no
qualms about giving Gregorius the extra year.
“One of the best shortstops in the game of baseball, somebody that gives us real balance in the middle of the order from the left-hand side and really completes our everyday lineup,” Dombrowski said via Zoom. “So we’re absolutely thrilled.”
The former Red, Diamondback and Yankee has 120 homers and 457 RBIs with a .265 career average. His .978 fielding percentage is fifth-best among shortstop with at least 800 games played since 2012.
Gregorius is the final piece of the Phillies’ lineup puzzle. He slots in as the starting shortstop and a middle-of-the-order threat, the second-biggest get beyond catcher J.T. Realmuto for a team hoping to end a playoff drought stretching to 2011.
“I’m always hungry to get to the playoffs,” Gregorius said. “That’s what you play for and that’s where you want to be. You want to be in the World Series, and we have a great group of guys that can do that. From top to bottom, everybody can do damage, everybody can help each other out and the team’s going to be better.”
“From the day I joined the Phillies organization, I’ve been told there’s really two main priorities from people on board, people that was with us before,” Dombrowski said. “One is to bring J.T. back, and the other was bringing Didi back, not just for their abilities but for the type of individuals they are.”
Dombrowski announced the Phillies have agreed to minor-league deals with reliever Brandon Kintzler and outfielder Matt Joyce, both with non-roster invitations to spring training.
Kintzler went 2-3 with a 2.22 ERA and 12 saves for Miami last year, the latter second in the National League for a surprisingly postseason qualifier. The 36-year-old struck out 14 batters and walked 11 in 21.1 innings.
An 11-year vet, Kinztler has a 3.31 career ERA in 454 appearances. He saved 45 games in 2017-18 with Minnesota, where he was an All-Star, and spent two seasons as a teammate of Bryce Harper in Washington.
“He’s somebody that comes in as an established bullpen guy that can come in and help us and battle for a job,” Dombrowski said.
Joyce, also 36, also spent last year as a Marlin, his seventh club in a 13-year career that includes a 2011 All-Star nod in Tampa Bay. A career .244 hitter, Joyce projects as left-handed punch off the bench and a possible corner-outfield platoon. He hit .252 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 127 at-bats last year.