Letter to the editor: Stealing money from public schools

Last year, the Commonwealth Court ruled Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional. It is estimated that at least $5.4 billion is needed to correct this situation. Harrisburg is struggling to come up with solutions to this problem.

One wonders why, when we desperately need funds for public education, our lawmakers are giving taxpayer money to private schools. Last month, our General Assembly increased by 40% the tax credit to private and religious schools, to nearly a half-billion dollars. This on top of the $1.6 billion in taxpayer dollars going to charter schools and $1 billion going to cyber charter schools, half of which went to advertisement. These funds come from our property tax.

Why are we stealing money from public schools to subsidize private and religious schools? Why are we reducing our tax pool by giving deductions to individuals and businesses that give tuition and donations to private schools?

Tell Harrisburg to stop giving away our hard-earned tax dollars to private and religious schools. Public funds for public schools.

There are big-money donors who want to privatize our educational system. Tell your lawmakers we do not want to continue to subsidize private entities. Public funds for public services.

Chris Baldonieri

Latrobe