Jan. 13, 2016
HARRISBURG – On a predominately party-line vote, the state House has passed
House Bill 1327, legislation which serves as the “operating manual” for the state budget. The bill may now be taken up by the state Senate.
“The state budget is often mistakenly characterized as simply one piece of legislation,” Sonney said. “It in fact is a series of bills that go together to form a blueprint for the fiscal year.
House Bill 1327, which is the Fiscal Code for 2015-16, lays out the manner in which revenue is spent throughout the Commonwealth.”
One of the key elements of the Fiscal Code is the school funding formula, which in this case is the product of the Basic Education Funding Commission. This bipartisan collection of legislators was charged with making improvements to the manner in which school funding is distributed.
“What the commission recommended last June is an improvement over the current formula, which shortcomings include failure to account for changes in school enrollment,” added Sonney. “Factoring in this, as well as household income and a school district’s ability to generate local tax-related revenue, will result in a more equitable funding formula when signed into law by the governor.
Questions about these bills or any legislative issue should be directed to Sonney’s Corry district office at (814) 664-9126 or his Harborcreek office at (814) 897-2080.
Representative Curt Sonney
4th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com
RepSonney.com