Opposes cuts to education 

By Jim Panyard | PA Independent

The state House Appropriations chairman says he cannot support Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed $27.3 billion general fund budget proposal because of the cuts in education funding.

“I could not support it as it stands now, with the education cuts,” state Rep. William Adolph, R-Delaware, said Tuesday during a break between a series of day-long committee hearings on departmental budgets.

Adolph wasn’t the only committee member apparently having second thoughts about the Republican governor’s budget that is $700 million less than the current one, and which trims $600 million from education funding.

Much of the angst was triggered by State Treasurer Rob McCord’s presentation indicating that should the proposed higher education cuts remain in place, tuition will rise to the point that many parents will not have enough money for their child’s tuition. 

Penn State President Graham Spanier, following Corbett’s budget address, said the $180 million cut in his school’s funding could cause increased tuition, layoffs and the closing of regional campuses. The proposed cut in state funding is about a 4 percent cut in Penn State’s overall operating budget.

McCord, stressing state and state-related university tuition increases have far exceeded inflation rates for decades, said further, higher than normal, tuition increases could outstrip the state’s ability to achieve enough return on investment in state guaranteed tuition plans to cover the ultimate costs.

McCord said the tuition plans are currently in good shape and funded at 95 percent of projected costs.

If the state tuition funds run short, McCord said, it would fall to the General Assembly and taxpayers to make up the difference promised to investors in the state’s guaranteed tuition plans.

McCord’s office is seeking a $60 million budget increase for the coming fiscal year to slightly more than $1 billion.

In his budget address last week, Corbett said it was time to re-think state spending on higher education.

“Despite state subsidies over the past decades, tuition has continued to increase,” he said.  “If the intent was to keep tuition rates down, it failed.” 

Bill Patton, House Democrats’ spokesperson, said the caucus agreed with Adolph’s assessment on the need to reduce Corbett’s proposed education cuts.

Though there may be some room to change the proposed education cuts,  House Republicans’ spokesperson Steve Miskin said the caucus leadership was entirely on board with the final spending figure of $27.3 billion.

“We’ve been saying there is going to be a day when the money is not there,” said Miskin.  “And that day has arrived.”

The governor’s office did not return calls for comment.