This happened today:
In a surprise move apparently orchestrated by mayor elect Michael Nutter and State Rep. Dwight Evans, the Philadelphia Parking Authority said it would transfer an additional $6.77 million to the city's general fund and school district over the next two fiscal years.
The funds - which come principally from the agency's reserves and non-parking enforcement divisions - will allow the Parking Authority to meet its budgeted payments to the city and, for the first time 2004, have a little cash left over for the School District of Philadelphia: $1.25 million this year, and $1.75 million next year.
Nutter announced the plan - which was detailed in a letter from Parking Authority Exectuive director addressed to Nutter - at an authority board meeting this morning. Parents of public school students were in attendance, and they had planned to sharply criticize the agency failure to fund the schools.
"You should be commended for your effort," Nutter told the parents, but he reminded them the authority was "not created solely to solve all the financial problems of the school district."
He said his administration and the state-run parking authority would work closely together.
Make zero mistake as to why the school district will be getting a little bit more money over the next couple years: Because of the leadership of Parents United for Public Education, and our own Helen Gym (Mansei).
Obviously, it is not going to cut a hole in the billion dollars or two we need to really get schools going, but, this is a small victory won totally on the backs of caring, dedicated parents. Is it enough? I don't think so, considering that the whole rationale for taking the authority over was to give far more money to the schools. But, it is a start, and I will defer to Helen as to what the next steps are with the PPA and their school funding.
In the end, the bloated PPA needs to be returned to the City, and needs the patronage wheel ended.
In the meantime, great job, Helen.
Helen is totally my role model
for when I have children, her work and involvement is so impressive!
You would think twice if you saw our signs
Sigh. We had such high hopes to give the Grinch award. Great signs and a really goofy poem/booklet, but it was more important that we had an incredible array of parents, a number of whom took off of work, scrambled for child care, and apparently put enough public pressure on the agency to get this small movement forward.
What I hope doesn't happen is that the small sum that came to the schools is not a reason to avoid seriously scrutinizing this agency. That desk audit needs to happen fast and thoroughly, and Mr. Butkovitz's disappointing earlier audit had better be fast made obsolete lest people suspect political alliances trump one's job.
Parents United statement on Parking Authority settlement
Parents United for Public Education would like to acknowledge the efforts of Rep. Dwight Evans and Mayor-Elect Michael Nutter for helping us move forward on bringing accountability and financial responsibility to the Philadelphia Parking Authority. This was a significant start toward acknowledging and addressing the needs of our children.
Since September, Philadelphia public school parents have made this a priority issue not only for the School District but city residents as well. Public school parents scoured the Parking Authority audits and pointed out areas of savings such as the cash reserve fund and whether profits from other program were going into the On-Street division. These two areas alone resulted in a transfer of $3.7 million for FY08. We are proud to have brought millions of dollars to both the City and schools that can be used for the public good.
Although we are encouraged by new guidelines around fiscal oversight, we still believe that the Parking Authority is an agency with an alarming amount of waste. It remains to be seen whether that culture will be reined in by the new guidelines. We encourage further attention, audits and oversight of this agency.
Finally, we believe that $1.2 million, at the end of the day, is only the most minimal start in beginning to address what our kids need and what they deserve. Parents have spent the past months speaking eloquently about how even a small amount of money can begin transforming our schools. We look forward to working together as committed partners with the Mayor-Elect and Rep. Evans and the state legislature to seek new fiscal resources to create the schools and classrooms our children are entitled to.
Parents United for Public Education is an independent group of citywide parents working for fiscal transparency, public process, and a school budget that places kids and classrooms first. For more information, please contact Helen Gym at 215-808-1400 or Aissia Richardson at 215-236-2100. Visit us online at www.parentsunited.philly.googlepages.com
I didn't know Helen was "mansei!"
That's helpful.
This is awesome! Go Parents United!!! Way to kick some heineken! Dan's right... they should hook up the schools a lot better, but they were DEFEATED this year. This is a loss to them and a gain to Philadelphia. I wish we could hamstring them much harder but this is an astoundingly good start and a fight very much worth having.
w00t! w00t!
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This Too Will Pass, treating grave matters lightly and light matters gravely, since 2001.
You thought you knew
Now you do.
and knowing
is half the battle.
Good work.
www.whatever-it-takes.net
Is this joke ever going to get old?
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Check out my website!
No.
The children of the '80s will keep it alive forever.
www.whatever-it-takes.net
Nothing like seeing a PPA vehicle illegally parked
A little fun for today. I think this is a PPA vehicle. I know it's got City ID on it but I think most of the PPA cars do, too. It looks like the ones I've seen, though I guess I should have stepped around and checked. The driver is inside, of course, but it says "No stopping any time" and it's just not that surprising that they'd disobey that rule.
Ahhh... the PPA. I so dislike them.
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This Too Will Pass, treating grave matters lightly and light matters gravely, since 2001.