Lawyers Urge City Council To Send Sales Tax Windfall to Philly's Schools
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A group of Philadelphia attorneys is taking their case for school funding not to a judge, but to City Council.
The two dozen attorneys are urging councilmembers to extend the city sales tax hike (see related story) to provide $120 million for the cash-starved Philadelphia School District.
Council president Darrell Clarke wants to split the revenue between the schools and the city pension system. The school district, however, is banking on that $120 million, and Matt Olesh -- an attorney with the firm of Fox Rothschild and the parent of a three-year-old -- says the schools should take precedence.
"Pensions are certainly important," Olesh said today. "And I think that there's still time to address that. The school crisis and the funding crisis for the district is happening right now."
Those taking part in the day of action include attorneys from the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia and the Education Law Center.
