Pittsburgh School Board: $20 million in wage tax money could help 'educational emergency'

Pittsburgh Public School board members agree with city council members about the school system reaching a “state of emergency.”

But if city officials are serious about helping, they can end collection of about $20 million in wage taxes, board members wrote in a response to the city’s proposal for an emergency declaration. Pittsburgh has been able to collect the taxes because of financial difficulties the city faced more than a decade ago.

“The city’s (distressed) status has ended and absorbing the $20 million should end as well,” the school board wrote in a statement approved at its meeting Tuesday night. “The district can and will apply those funds to address the many needs of the students and families of our district.”

City residents pay a 3% wage tax. Originally, 2% went to the schools and 1% to the city. To address Pittsburgh’s fiscal distress, a 2005 reform changed the formula to 1.75% for the schools and 1.25% for the city.

The district has lobbied to return to the original formula. The city has resisted the change.

After a 2019 meeting between Mayor Bill Peduto and Superintendent Anthony Hamlet, Peduto said it appeared the district has backed off of the tax collection idea.

It resurfaced this week after councilmen Ricky Burgess and R. Daniel Lavelle proposed the legislation to declare the educational emergency.

The school board’s executive committee responded to the legislation with a 735-word statement the board approved as a resolution Tuesday night.

Board President Sylvia Wilson, First Vice President Kevin Carter and Second Vice President Terry Kennedy make up the committee.

Earlier Tuesday, Wilson said she hasn’t talked with city councilmen Ricky Burgess and R. Daniel Lavelle about the resolution they co-sponsored to declare a state of educational emergency in Pittsburgh. When Burgess brought up the issue last week, Carter accused council members of grandstanding.

The Pittsburgh city government and city school district are legally separate entities, with their own funding and governance. The school system’s most recent annual budget is $673 million, while the city’s is $564 million.

The school board agrees there are “grave concerns” about the issues raised by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have been consistent from day one on a safe return of students, teachers and staff to our buildings as soon as possible,” board members wrote in the statement. “Delaying the hybrid model for a third time was not an easy decision to make, however, when considering the health and safety of over 21,000 students and 4,000 teachers and staff… it makes our job even harder.”

The school board last week voted to delay return to in-person learning until April 6 because of coronavirus concerns.

In the resolution introduced by city council, Burgess cited studies that show students have fallen behind in their studies while learning remotely and urged the school district to return to in-person learning as soon as possible.

“Our goal is to minimize exposure for everyone. No one wants students back in school more than we do, however, we must pay attention to the covid-19 numbers and the genuine concerns raised by our teachers and staff,” the school board wrote in the statement.

The concerns raised in the city council resolution have been heard by the school board.

“A collaborative approach is welcomed. How do we make changes that right the wrongs from the past and drive us into innovation and modernization and a vision for a future,” the board wrote in the statement. “We have a plan… we do not have a magic wand.”

The school board and administration of the district are willing to meet with council members and also proposed including Pittsburgh’s state legislative delegation in the process.

Peduto’s spokesman Tim McNulty said the mayor is reviewing council’s proposed emergency declaration.

Burgess has said he’d like to set up public and private meetings with school officials later this month.