As Tom Wolf Campaigns, Our Schools Face A Fiscal Cliff

“Once again, Tom Wolf hits the campaign trail while Pennsylvania’s schools continue to suffer. For months, Tom Wolf has held our schoolchildren hostage looking for a ransom of higher taxes. Now, Governor Wolf is unveiling new spending on a pet project that gives government a raise while school districts are preparing to close. It is time for Governor Wolf to stop ignoring the crisis he created and work with the Republicans in the Legislature to finish the budget.” — PA GOP Communications Director Megan Sweeney.

In December, Tom Wolf Single-Handedly Cut $3 Billion From Our Schools

December 2015, Tom Wolf single-handedly cut $3 billion from our schools. (Nathan Benefield, “State budget hostages finally freed?,” Bucks County Courier Times, 1/8/2016)

Weeks Later, His Administration Is Teaching Schools How To Close Due To A Lack Of Funding

While Governor Wolf travels around the Commonwealth on his latest taxpayer-funded tour, his Administration has been telling schools how to close. (Jan Murphy, “Closing a school district for lack of money? Pa. schools get primer on how to do it,” Harrisburg Patriot News, 2/25/16)

One School District Announced It May Have To File For Bankruptcy Because Of Tom Wolf’s Budget Crisis

Red Lion School District: We Will “Likely Face Bankruptcy By The End Of The Fiscal Year.” “Our cash flow analysis for the remainder of this school year is dire. Unless we take some extraordinary measures right now, the District will likely face bankruptcy by the end of the fiscal year.” (“Letter from Scott A. Deisley, Ed.D. to Members of the Red Lion Area School District,” 3/4/3016)

Allentown School District Was Forced To Take Out A $50 Million Loan

Allentown School District has had to take out an additional $50 million in loans to make ends meet. (Stephen Althouse, “Short on cash, Allentown schools borrow again,” WFMZ, 2/26/16)

  • The School District admitted that, “If we don’t borrow some money, we won’t be able to stay in business.” (Stephen Althouse, “Short on cash, Allentown schools borrow again,” WFMZ, 2/26/16)
  • The District said it was “reprehensible that we have to suffer like this,” and that the situation that has led to them borrowing the money is “disgraceful” (Stephen Althouse, “Short on cash, Allentown schools borrow again,” WFMZ, 2/26/16)

Lancaster School District Isn’t Even Hiring Classroom Teachers

Lancaster School District has stopped hiring to make ends meet. (Ben Allen, “State budget crisis forces some midstate schools to halt most hiring, cut expenses,” WITF, 3/4/16)

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