By Matthew Fleishman, Yardley News Editor

With education funding on the chopping block as the Democrats and Republicans battle over the state budget, Gov. Ed Rendell (D) made an appearance at Bristol Borough Junior/Senior High School to urge supporters to help fight for his version of the state budget.

During his speech on Wednesday, July 15, Rendell blasted the Republican-written Senate Bill 850 for cutting the funding for too many educational programs. That bill would have the state spend less money than in Rendell's budget, but would hold the line on taxes.

"I am not willing to accept their budget because it is counter-productive to turning around our economy," said Rendell. "In addition, a failure at the state level to fund essential programs and services simply shifts the tax burden to the local level."

Rendell's budget calls for the continuation of a plan to provide more than $400 million for education this year. However, the governor's budget also calls for a 0.5 percent income tax increase, which he called "fair and reasonable," because the average Pennsylvanian would pay only $4.50 more in taxes per week, and it would not impact senior citizens on fixed incomes nor the unemployed.

Rendell did caution those on hand that the Republican bill in the Senate would not hold the line on taxes, but merely shift those taxes to the county and municipal levels.

"In that budget, there are so many drastic cuts to programs counties must provide," said Rendell. "They [counties] would have to raise their property taxes. Is that a no-tax increase budget? Of course not."

Rendell went on to say that districts like Bristol Borough would have to use all of their savings or raise taxes to make up for the lack of funding in Senate Bill 850.

"If the Senate takes away the school funding formula increase, Bristol Borough will have no choice but to empty its fund balance or to make drastic program cuts," said Rendell. "And that means that Bristol Borough and school districts like it will have only one place left to turn: to their homeowners in the form of higher local property taxes."

Standing in support of Rendell were Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, Bristol Borough School District Superintendent Dr. Broadus Davis, and School Board Vice President John D’Angelo. D’Angelo said that after examining both Rendell’s budget and Senate Bill 850, he believes that the governor’s proposal would be most beneficial to Bristol Borough’s schools.

“We know that people are hurting, but looking at both proposals, Governor Rendell’s budget is the most decent, most rational and most effective for education, said D’Angelo.

Attempts to reach State Sen. Tommy Tomlinson (R-6), who represents Bristol Borough, have been unsuccessful.

While Rendell visited the Bristol Borough school to talk about education, a crowd of state workers from the Bucks County Assistance Office in Bristol protested what they called "full work for no pay." These workers were paid a partial paycheck on Friday, July 17, but did not know when they would receive their next paycheck.

"We haven't gotten paid in 15 days, and we need our money," said Carrie Mathews - an Income Maintenance Case Worker - on Wednesday, July 15. "If there is no budget, we have no idea when we will get paid, and we are still expected to show up for work."

Rendell said that state worker are able to take advantage of loans while the partisan fighting takes place, but the workers say that isn't enough.

"We're helping people in need, but we can't get help for ourselves," said a Bucks County Assistance Office case worker who wished to remain anonymous. "Our bills keep coming in, and as much as the governor says he is providing for us, most of us can't get loans."

Rendell told the workers that they can't get loans because "they have bad credit," but did say that more than 40,000 workers have taken advantage of the loan process.