Cambria County schools are taking a nearly $600,000 hit. Only one of the eleven school districts is safe.
Penn Cambria is the only school district in the county that escaped the funding cuts. Penn Cambria will see a 2% increase.
Others, like Westmont Hilltop will be hit the hardest; they’re looking at a 91% cut.
The budget was supposed to give an additional $200 million to public schools across the state, but Cambria County Representative Frank Burns (D) said that money is being pushed toward Philadelphia and Pittsburgh schools.
Burns said lawmakers can try to fight it, but the first payments have already been dispersed to schools, so change will be difficult.
He said he heard a lawsuit is in the works; it’s something the GOP Republican Caucus talked about, but he’s not sure of the details.
His main concern is next year’s budget; he’s worried a stalemate will happen all over again.
“So it makes you wonder, if the governor would have got his huge tax increase, is this a preview of what he would do with the money,” Burns said. “Even next year’s budget. Is this a preview?”
The percentage losses imposed by Wolf on other Cambria County school districts are: Blacklick Valley, 40 percent; Cambria Heights, 34 percent; Central Cambria, 21 percent; Conemaugh Valley, 20 percent; Forest Hills, 28 percent; Greater Johnstown, 18 percent; Northern Cambria, 27 percent; Portage Area, 17 percent; and Richland, 71 percent.
