PA. still owes $1.2 billion to school districts for schools that were built or renovated

[JPZenger]

http://articles.mcall.com/2014-01-19/news/mc-pa-school-construction-funding-20140119_1_districts-construction-workbook-plancon

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/01/pa_school_funding_education_to.html

PA has held up payment for a few years for reimbursements to public school districts for new schools and major school renovations projects that have been completed. Corbett has talked about possibly killing the entire program. Tens of millions of dollars were diverted from this construction fund to pay for leases of buildings by charter schools.

In addition to these older completed projects, School districts have not been able to apply for funding to help pay for new schools or renovations since Corbett came into office, with no end in sight to that moratorium.

Excerpt:

"In 2011, the Corbett administration cut reimbursement payments by $20 million to $296 million. Then the department put a moratorium on approving new projects for reimbursement by essentially shutting down the construction review process known as The Planning and Construction Workbook, or PlanCon.

The moratorium is in place until June 30, unless the Legislature extends it. But public school officials want the money now, saying losing the state funds has caused them to dip into their own finances, lay off staff, or cut programs.

"The need for legislative action regarding the funding of PlanCon is critical and necessary without hesitation to avoid financial ruin of our district and the many others who are facing the same peril due to what I consider to be a deliberate and unconstitutional act," said Richard Bernazzoli, superintendent of the rural Portage Area School District in Cambria County, which has yet to receive $6.1 million in reimbursements for a 2009 elementary school project.