Wolf’s $3 Billion Education Cut

Upon finally approving the majority of a state budget, Gov. Tom Wolf admonished the General Assembly for “cutting $95 million from public schools.” Yet it is the governor himself who is responsible for vetoing $3.1 billion worth of education funding. 

In a recent op-ed, my colleague Nate Benefield explains Wolf's misleading budget math:

Wolf is propagating the bold-faced lie that the budget cuts education by $95 million.

In truth, the budget increases public school funding by $400 million. The only education line item reduced is school construction reimbursement. This is not being cut, however. Instead, it’s being funded with state bonds, and school districts will actually get more in construction reimbursements.

In spite of persistent hand wringing about education cuts—much of it blatantly false—Gov. Wolf is now the only person standing between local districts and more funding. 

This cynical negotiation ploy—intended to force House and Senate leaders to return to the bargaining table—shows Wolf's primary motivation is higher taxes, not higher education spending. By only releasing six months worth of school funding, the administration refuses to fully free the state's budget hostages.

The chart below illustrates Wolf's education cut and how much money he withheld from local districts. (All figures from the Department of Education.)