Political Divisions Take Center Stage in Funding Debate of Planed Twp. Schools

At the last Bristol Township Council meeting, approval of the land development for the Buchanan Elementary School did not come without some questions  and comments made by members of council, who have openly expressed frustration with school district officials.

It is no secret that both groups – the school board and township council , all self identified Democrats – have been sniping at each other since the “Pro Team” took over the majority on council. Bristol Township Democrats, with changes to leadership in light of the election beatings they have taken, owning the school board there is more at stake then the building of new schools.

We are talking a battle for political power over the township too, both sides have said repeatedly.

Council once again spoke to the concerns they have and added one other to the list.

Councilwoman Amber Longhitano called the plan to build three schools at once “crazy” echoing some of the same sentiments other members of council have voiced often  citing the potential for tax increases on “seniors” who can barely afford daily to get by as it is.

Longhitano additionally said she had spoken with state officials who told her the school district would not be receiving  any PlanCon funding for building of the “super schools,” leading to an interesting exchange between the councilwoman and the chief administrator of the school district, Dr. Sam Lee.

Lee responded to Longhitano,  explaining  the school district was approved for PlanCon A, B, D. E, and was on the verge of being approved for plan F.  Further adding that the PlanCon program has been halted by a moratorium about two years so no school districts have received any funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Education run program of late. Bristol Township School District officials submitted their paperwork before the moratorium went into effect so they are still able to get the reimbursement.

Longhitano repeated her contention based upon what she was told by adding funding for the school district according to the the officials she spoke to was not forthcoming coming any time soon.

The councilwoman  also added that the Pennsbury School District schools, comparable in age are “beautiful, updated and efficient” and have been maintained over time suggesting had the schools been maintained properly there would be no need to build new ones “on the backs of taxpayers.”

Council Vice President Troy Brennan has shared similar, if not identical concerns, when he also took the district to task during council meetings last year.

Lee offered to share with council documents pertaining to the school districts status with the funding program for the construction of the planned new schools in the township and said in a joint statement with School Board President Angela Nober: “the Bristol Township School District applied for and received Plan Con approval before the cited moratorium began. We have received official approval for Plan Con A,B, and D/E, with F expected this month for both the Buchanan and Emerson sites.”

“We we are not beyond PlanCon G for any of our buildings (the stage where actual reimbursement begins), so that is maybe what Councilwoman Longitano was referring to,” the pair said.

According to a PennLive.com report the state now owes Pennsylvania school districts $1.2 billion in reimbursements for school construction and the state has no plans anytime in the future to provide those funds to the districts, which goes to the heart of Longhitano’s concerns.

Two years ago,  a moratorium on PlanCon money was put place, stopping districts from applying for new programs. It also froze 350 schools at step G, without their money, the report says. Lee went and testified to a state committee along with Council Rock School District superintendent Mark Klein about PlanCon money in summer.

According to PennLive.com, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (DOE) has approved more projects than it could afford and now with the last two administrations blaming each other for the mess and a moratorium in place, fund availability for any district navigating the  PlanCon process does not appear to be on the horizon anytime soon.

Rep. Seth Grove, R-Dover, and Rep. Steve Santarsiero, D-Bucks, recently  introduced legislation aimed at solving the backlog of funding for school districts. However, each legislator has come up with a different solution for the funding mess school districts are now facing, according to PennLive.com.

Grove’s plan does not  spell out how the state would come up with payments and Santarsiero’s funding idea is based on income coming from a natural gas tax offered which has failed to pass muster with legislators a number of times.

Lee and Nober said they “supported” Representative Santarsiero and Grove’s proposed legislation. Adding it was unclear to them “why Pennsylvania would not continue to provide an incentive for school construction given the significant economic advantages and job creation opportunities connected with this?”

“This reimbursement also affords tremendous relief to Pennsylvania  taxpayers,” they added.

Longhitano, through several email exchanges, maintained her  position there are no funds available to pay for constructing the schools  saying “pointing to the irony of the PennLive report,” she said.

Nober and Lee said  the article illustrates that PlanCon is a complicated process. “The district’s capitalization plan does not rely on PlanCon reimbursement until 2017-2018,” they offered in their statement.

Longhitano said she recognizes the need for more modernized schools but thinks building three at one time “doesn’t make any sense at all” in an uncertain economy.

School district officials say building the three schools, and upgrading the middle school system, at one time allows the district to take advantage of historically low interest rates, relatively low construction costs, accommodates for projected growth in enrollment,enabling the district  to benefit by approximately $3.4 million in operation savings in addition to claiming what appears to be the issue on the minds of residents everywhere in the  community. The project is estimated to cost over $152 million all together.

“Great financial stewardship over time will enable the district to build these schools without any impact on taxes,” the district statement said.

Only time will tell what team will win this war of words. And if you are not convinced the war of words is limited to the building of new schools. Ask Murray Bailey, once a candidate for council and on the ticket till he was asked to walk the plank by his own party because of his union ties….then poof!

LevittownNow.com Publisher/Editor Tom Sofield contributed to this report.

Editors Note: Dr. Sam Lee is the top administrator for the Bristol Township School District, to our knowledge he is not affiliated with the political parties battling.