Jun. 10, 2024
HARRISBURG – Rep. Ryan Warner (R-Fayette) issued the following statement after voting “no” on
House Bill 2370, an education funding proposal in the state House on Monday:
“This bill fails on every front. First and foremost, it fails to address the court’s ruling that our school funding system is unconstitutional. It fails to provide accountability and meaningful measures for student success. And it fails to ensure alternatives are readily available to students who struggle in our public schools.
“This proposal does nothing to fix the education funding formula in the Commonwealth. It still sets winners and losers, as districts with billions of dollars in reserves are set to receive MORE money from the state. The quality of our students’ education is still going to be determined by their ZIP codes.
“The only truly equal way to fund education in the Commonwealth is to eliminate school property taxes at the local level.
“Rather than throw more money at the problem, we should be taking bold steps to make transformational change to our education system.”
Warner served as a member of the Basic Education Funding Commission, which convened after a 2023 ruling by Commonwealth Court deemed the state’s education funding system unconstitutional. House Bill 2370 encompasses the proposals advanced by Democrats who served on the commission, along with the Shapiro administration. The proposal was rejected by Warner and other Republicans on the commission.
The House Appropriations Committee previously estimated the Democrat-approved recommendations, if enacted by the Legislature, would require more than $8 billion in recurring revenue each year, leading to a significant tax increase.
Representative Ryan Warner
52nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives