Charter School CEO’s Join Call For City Council To Approve 1% Sales Tax Extension

By Paul Kurtz

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Officials representing several dozen Philadelphia charter schools gathered outside City Hall Thursday to call on City Council to approve a one-percent sales tax extension and earmark all the new funding for schools.

There were dire warnings from numerous Charter School CEO”s of what of will happen without that recurring $120-million in annual revenue:

“Our budget will be reduced by one and a half million dollars or 17.6-percent of our budget,” this CEO said. “This is a devastating amount and one that is impossible to fix through spending reductions.”

“Students will not be able to have the schools of their choice,” says this CEO. “Students will not be able to be in classrooms where they feel safe or where they feel comfortable.”

There’s more to come. Charter and District schools are united in their efforts to get their hands on all the money.

Councilman Darrell Clarke has floated a proposal to designate half the funding to city pensions.