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Mahoney reintroduces bill to consolidate school districts for local tax reform
HARRISBURG, Feb.10 (2009)–
State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fayette, has again introduced legislation that would provide taxpayer savings by
allowing residents to approve the consolidation of smaller school districts in the state into countywide school districts.
Mahoney's legislation (H.B. 351) would allow county commissioners to place a referendum on the ballot asking voters
if they support consolidating small school districts into a single, countywide school district for the purposes of
administration and taxation. The consolidation process would begin if at least two-thirds of voters approve the referendum.
The Fayette County lawmaker said he agrees with Gov. Ed Rendell's 2009-10 state budget proposal calling for the consolidation
of school districts in Pennsylvania.
Not Enough Said:
During an appearance on a local talk show program, Let's Talk, WMBS 590, with host, Bob Foltz, on Fri. April 15th, state
Rep. Tim Mahoney said he didn't know what the study he'd put out for bid would show as far as cost-savings in a consolidated
school district.
they might show 15%, or 20% or 1%, he said.
That is a far cry from what the legislator promoted as savings of 25% to 30% in 2009 while meeting with the Herald
Standard newspaper editorial board as published in a report and an editorial at the time.
The editorial board at the time did not question Rep. Mahoney on the savings he touted, nor did they ask him whether
a local study he was seeking to fund would include findings if school districts would simply share costs without actual
consolidation.
What if there are some savings, but the same amount of savings could be gained from cost-sharing as the Standard and
Poor study shows can be had with small districts (not to exceed 3,000 students)?
HARRISBURG, Feb.10 (2009) – State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fayette, has again introduced legislation that would provide
taxpayer savings by allowing residents to approve the consolidation of smaller school districts in the state into countywide
school districts.
Mahoney's legislation (H.B. 351) would allow county commissioners to place a referendum on the ballot asking voters if
they support consolidating small school districts into a single, countywide school district for the purposes of administration
and taxation. The consolidation process would begin if at least two-thirds of voters approve the referendum.
The Fayette
County lawmaker said he agrees with Gov. Ed Rendell's 2009-10 state budget proposal calling for the consolidation of school
districts in Pennsylvania.
"We need to review school district consolidation in Pennsylvania to see if we can provide
taxpayers with expanded real estate tax savings," Mahoney said.
Mahoney said the process would create a countywide
school district for administrative purposes, not necessarily fewer or larger schools within the district. Individual
school buildings, facilities, sports teams and mascots would not be impacted, and could remain in place.
Under the
measure, a county school board would be formed to govern the new consolidated district. The county board would be composed
of seven members and elected from regions within the county divided equally by population.
The state Department of
Education would develop regulations and approve the application process for the countywide school consolidation plan.
The
legislation is awaiting action in the House Education Committee.
http://www.pahouse.com/PR/051021009.asp
Not Enough Said:
During an appearance on a local talk show program, Let's Talk, WMBS 590, with host, Bob Foltz, on Fri. April 15th, state
Rep. Tim Mahoney talked about his school consolidation plan and said 'some schools would be closed.'
That is a far cry from material on his House website in which the state legislator
words things not so clearly, but we get the intent:
Mahoney said the process would create a countywide school district for administrative purposes, not necessarily
fewer or larger schools within the district.
Individual school buildings, facilities, sports teams and mascots would not be impacted,
and could remain in place.
Mahoney reintroduces bill to consolidate school districts for local tax reform
HARRISBURG,
Feb.10 (2009)– State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fayette, has
again introduced legislation that would provide taxpayer savings by allowing residents to approve the consolidation of smaller
school districts in the state into countywide school districts.
Mahoney's legislation
(H.B. 351) would allow county commissioners to place a referendum on the ballot asking voters if they support consolidating
small school districts into a single, countywide school district for the purposes of administration and taxation. The consolidation
process would begin if at least two-thirds of voters approve the referendum.
The Fayette County
lawmaker said he agrees with Gov. Ed Rendell's 2009-10 state budget proposal calling for the consolidation of school districts
in Pennsylvania.
"We need to review
school district consolidation in Pennsylvania to see if we can provide taxpayers with expanded real estate tax savings," Mahoney
said.
Mahoney said the
process would create a countywide school district for administrative purposes, not necessarily fewer or larger schools within
the district. Individual school buildings, facilities, sports teams and mascots would not be impacted, and could remain in
place.
Under the measure,
a county school board would be formed to govern the new consolidated district. The county board would be composed of seven
members and elected from regions within the county divided equally by population.
The state Department
of Education would develop regulations and approve the application process for the countywide school consolidation plan.
The legislation
is awaiting action in the House Education Committee.
http://www.pahouse.com/PR/051021009.asp
Not Enough Said:
Even though there would be one school board director elected per sub-district under Rep. Tim Mahoney's school consolidation
plan, how would an issue such as 'nepotism' be resolved?
Though there would be some accountability by electing, not appointing, directors (as was a feature in an initial consolidation
plan presented by Rep. Mahoney), there is no guarantee such hirings would not occur as they have with regular independent
school boards in the past.
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