Governor Freezes All Money for Public School Renovations [View all]

[JPZenger]

Pa. State government normally provides a certain percentage of the funding for a major school renovation. The school districts need to go through a process to show that the project is needed and is cost-effective. Not this year. Corbett is freezing funding for new school renovation projects. After all, those buildings are all going to become charter schools eventually, so why spend the money?

(A recent study found that the Phila. School District is losing tens of millions of dollars maintaining schools that are leased to charters).

Normally, during a recession, governments look for needed infrastructure projects to fund. If the projects are seriously needed anyway, it is cheaper to do them during a recession because bids come in much cheaper. Also, most governments want to put construction workers to work.

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120214/NEWS01/120219708/corbett-budget-skewers-pottstown-elementary-school-plans