Council: We’ve done our part for schools; now Pa. needs to help

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/seMycfKi3V4 by Tom MacDonald for NewsWorks

Philadelphia City Council is poised to pass its funding solution for the city’s public schools this week. But the formula will depend on cooperation from Pennsylvania legislators.

The Council plans to pass a tax of $2-per-pack of cigarettes, proposed by Mayor Nutter, combined with enhanced revenue collection of about $28 million in back taxes.

Council President Darrell Clarke says that will add up to $74.4 million for the schools.

"It was determined, based on the $2-per-pack cigarette tax, that it would raise upwards of $46 million," Clarke said Tuesday. "Additionally, based on our process of aggressive collections and internal measures in the city of Philadelphia, we were able to raise another $28 million."

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