STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - Governor Corbett wants 100 million dollars to be distributed to Pennsylvania schools, increasing school budgets by a little more than 1%.
Governor Corbett's budget proposal would increase basic education aid, and put more money towards early childhood education, but parents WTAJ News talked to Tuesday night at State College Area High School say it's not enough, and it's too late.
Bob Costa's son Jason is a Senior Guard at State College High. He doesn't know what to expect when Jason heads to college.
"We understand that we have to put our kids into college and we're going to have some expense, but to see the increases of Penn State has had over the last 3 or 4 years, 5, 6, 7% tuition increases, that's a lot to ask an average family..."
Governor Corbett proposes a 1.7% increase for basic education. But Costa says that's like using a band aid for a gun shot wound.
"..A 1.7 increase this year does not help the shortfalls that the schools have endured over the past few years..."
Corbett's proposal would increase basic education aid by 90 million dollars. It would increase early childhood education aid by 11.4 million. But some accuse Corbett of flip flopping. Two years ago he cut education. One report says he cut it by just under a billion dollars. His budget proposal calls for level funding of 100 million dollars to fund things like kindergarten classes, but last year he wanted that cut.
Which makes parents like Lannette Johnston question his priorities.
"It does make me question his motives, he is up for reelection. And I think as a parent of a child in the public school system, I think that we need to investigate all of the options"
