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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Frank Andrews Shimkus |
   
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Shimkus delivers education dollars to Lackawanna County
2008-09 state budget includes more than $3.6 million increase for local schools
HARRISBURG, July 4 – State Rep. Frank Andrews Shimkus, D-Lackawanna, said the new state budget includes a nearly $275 million increase in overall education funding, without raising taxes.
"Budget negotiations were very difficult this year. Revenue was down because of the recession and we had to make fiscally prudent decisions," Shimkus said. "We made education a priority and made sure education saw a funding increase so school districts would not be put into the position of having to raise taxes by an exorbitant amount."
Shimkus noted local school districts will see their share of state funding increase by more than $3.6 million under the 2008-09 state budget:
Scranton School District:
$35,566,780 in basic education funding – 9.57 percent increase over last year
$5,176,566 in special education funding – 2.1 percent increase over last year
Abington Heights School District:
$5,875,291 in basic education funding – 3 percent increase over last year
$1,624,986 in special education funding – 1.4 percent increase over last year
Mid Valley School District:
$3,519,153 in basic education funding – 3.94 percent increase over last year
$821,075 in special education funding – 1.4 percent increase over last year
Riverside School District:
$4,481,401 in basic education funding – 3 percent increase over last year
$755,726 in special education funding – 1.7 percent increase over last year
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