Parker: No County Works Harder Than Monroe County to Pay School Property Taxes! After Decades of Severe Under-Funding, David Parker Is Leading Efforts To Get Monroe Taxpayers Heard By The Newly Formed Education Funding Commission East Stroudsburg, PA (Labor Day – September 1, 2014) – As the nation celebrates Labor Day, we want to remind Harrisburg leaders that no County in Pennsylvania works harder to pay school property taxes than Monroe County. In 1991, the Pennsylvania public education school funding formula was radically changed. As a direct result of the 1991 school funding formula changes Monroe County school districts have been severely under-funded. While other PA school districts get 40%, 50% or 65% of their entire school budgets paid by state funding; Monroe County Schools Districts only get 18% to 21% paid by state funding. Plus, the 6 to 18 month delay to adjust enrollment increases cost Monroe taxpayers millions more. “Pennsylvania has not allocated its basic state funding to public schools through a predictable, fair funding formula since 1991.” Source: Pennsylvania School Board Association As a direct result of this severe, unconscionable and worsening under-funding, Monroe County taxpayers pay the highest portion of their incomes toward property taxes. Dreadfully ranked 1st 2nd and 5th in the Commonwealth, Pocono Mountain (16%), East Stroudsburg (15%) and Stroudsburg (10.6%) taxpayers have the most personal income consumed by school property taxes. Incredulously, the state average for this same equation is 4.69%. Pocono Mountain and East Stroudsburg taxpayers pay triple the state average. More outrageously, fifty-four (54) school districts have less than 3% of their personal income consumed by school property taxes. NOW IS THE TIME: “Since we launched our campaign last November, we have been focused on building a large coalition of citizens, business and education leaders devoted to changing the states funding formulas for basic education, transportation and economic development for Monroe County. For too long, Monroe County has been short-changed, and the new 115th gives our delegation an added voice and seat at the table,” stated David Parker, Candidate for State Representative, 115th Legislative District. Parker continued, “I actively supported passage of Act 51, of 2014 to create the Basic Education Funding commission to get a more fair funding formula for education. At the Commission meeting on August 20th, I wanted to hear the presentations and dialogue, as well as speak with commission members and other education leaders to make absolutely sure Monroe Countys circumstances are heard and understood.” Parker has met with Act 51s prime sponsor State Representative Bernie ONeil (R-Bucks), as well as Governor Corbett, Commission Chairs, Senator Pat Browne and Rep. Mike Vereb and education groups. Parker added, “Im going to be non-stop meeting with everyone including the Governor and his administration, commission members, legislators and citizens, to make sure the Basic Education funding formula accounts for the special circumstance facing Monroe County school districts and taxpayers; and that sufficient taxpayer protections are included in the final legislation.” The Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding Commission meeting is a bipartisan, bicameral 15-member commission was created by Act 51 of 2014. The Basic Education Funding Commission is charged with developing a basic education funding formula, and identifying factors that may be used to determine how to distribute basic education funding among Pennsylvania schools. The commission is required to issue a report on its findings and recommendations by June 10, 2015 and to draft proposed regulations and legislation based upon its findings. Legislation would have to be enacted to adopt a new funding formula. The impacts and implications for Monroe County taxpayers are huge. Despite decades of naysayers saying change would never happen, this year, as a direct result of work completed by the Special Education Funding Commission, a new statewide funding formula to drive out a historic increase in funding to special education programs in Pennsylvania school districts was included as part of the 2014-15 budget plan, with a $20 million increase through the new formula. The newly created 115th legislative district in Monroe County, encompasses the Boroughs of East Stroudsburg and Stroudsburg, the townships of Coolbaugh, Paradise, and Price, and all of the voting precincts in Stroud Township except for the 7th precinct. David Parker is a fourth generation co-owner of Cramers Home Building Centers, one of the oldest businesses in Monroe County. He graduated from Messiah College with a degree in Business Administration, where he was a member of the Student Senate. Very active in our community, David resides in Stroud Township with his wife Amanda and daughters Ashley, Maria, Lia, Gabriella, and Isabelle. Contact: David Parker – 570-656-9232 – dparker18301@gmail DavidParker115 Paid for by the Friends of David Parker
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:22:37 +0000
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