"The moment calls for more:" Our statement on Gov. Shapiro's PA state budget address
The Pennsylvania State Capitol
On March 7, one month after Commonwealth Court Judge Renée Cohn Jubelirer ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional and must be reformed, Governor Josh Shapiro gave his first state budget address. The budget proposal he presented includes 7.8 percent increases in basic education funding (BEF) and special education funding (SEF). $567 million for BEF, and $104 million for SEF. As stated in the governor’s budget in brief, these increases are “on par with recent inflationary and cost-of-living growth.” Last year’s education budget included a $768 million increase for BEF—including a $225 million Level Up supplement for the 100 most underfunded school districts.

Along with our co-counsel at Education Law Center and O'Melveny, we issued a statement following the Governor's address.

"Today, Gov. Shapiro issued a call to action for 'a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to do right by our kids, to fund our schools.' We are grateful for the governor’s leadership, and we look forward to working with the governor to find a comprehensive solution that 'ensures every child has access to thorough and efficient education.' As he recognized, the current budget proposal does not do that.

This work must begin without delay. This year’s proposed education budget does not do enough to meet the standard set by our state constitution and the urgency of this moment. This year’s increases are only pegged to keeping school funding on pace with inflation. This proposal also takes a step backwards: while last year’s budget provided additional support for the Commonwealth’s most deeply underfunded districts through the Level Up program; this one does not. The moment calls for more."

Read our full statement here. Our analysis of Governor Shapiro's budget proposal was covered by the Philadelphia Inquirer and AP.

Other school funding updates

At George Washington Carver High School in Philadelphia on March 15, Governor Shapiro told reporters that Republican legislative leaders had told him they did not plan to appeal Commonwealth Court's decision, but legislative leaders have not announced that decision and have preserved possible issues for appeal in post-decision court filings. In any case, the court's decision remains in force, and legislative leaders have not relieved themselves of their constitutional duty to ensure a comprehensive, effective, and contemporary public education in every community, regardless of wealth.

“It is past time to create a system that provides every child in every corner of the commonwealth with an effective and contemporary education,” our senior attorney Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “The work is urgent, and should start now.”

Press coverage highlights
We join 30 gardens and nonprofits to ask the Land Bank to end its 30-year mortgage requirement
Open green spaces, like community gardens and urban farms, are critical neighborhood anchors across Philadelphia and should be preserved. But since 2020, a routine Land Bank practice has worked at cross-purposes to this goal: attaching 30-year self-amortizing mortgages and notes to City land conveyed to community gardens.

On March 13, we convened 30 organizations—gardens, other nonprofits, and allies—to send a letter to the Land Bank board of directors ahead of their March meeting, detailing the unnecessary barriers created by these mortgages and notes. This issue was covered by the Philadelphia Inquirer and WHYY following the Land Bank board meeting.

From the Inquirer: "Mimi McKenzie, legal director at the Public Interest Law Center, said the mortgages can make it appear that finances of nonprofits are in poor shape because the debt from the mortgage goes on the books. It can far exceed the land’s real value as collateral. That can show up in audits and can impact the ability to get grants.

'It really puts the gardens in an impossible situation,' McKenzie said."
Philadelphia parents seek to defend the City's ability to inspect school buildings for asbestos
Facing an ongoing school facility safety crisis in Philadelphia, City Council passed legislation last year requiring the City to inspect all Philadelphia school buildings for asbestos. The law also created a new advisory board for building safety—which will include parents, teachers and other district stakeholders—and requires the results of inspections to be posted on a publicly accessible website. On January 20, the School District of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to overturn this law and its new requirements.

On March 16, we represented Philadelphia parents and community organizations who filed a motion to intervene in the case, seeking to join the City’s defense of the law. The Philadelphia Inquirer covered the court filing and our clients' experiences with building safety issues in Philadelphia schools.
Save the date! Our annual event will be held September 20, at the Fairmount Water Works
Save the date, our annual celebration, Wednesday September 20, Water Works by Cescaphe
Mark your calendars! Join us to celebrate and support our work at the Fairmount Water Works on September 20 for our annual celebration! More information about honorees, entertainment, and tickets coming soon. Spread the word on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!
Our clients and attorney shared testimony with City Council on source of income discrimination
At March 20 hearings before the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless called by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, staff attorney Sari Bernstein shared testimony on the impact of widespread discrimination against Housing Choice Voucher renters on housing stability and affordability in Philadelphia. Our clients, Tomika Anglin and David Smith, and Renters United Philadelphia member Delores Bell also shared testimony discussing their firsthand experience with discrimination as Philadelphia renters. Read our full written testimony here.

The hearing was covered by the Philadelphia Inquirer and WHYY. From WHYY: "Delores Bell is beyond frustrated. She desperately wants to move to Germantown to be closer to her aging parents but hasn’t been able to find an apartment she can afford or a landlord willing to take her on as a tenant.

And she says she knows exactly why: She’s a housing choice voucher holder.

'My apartment is in good condition. I’ve always made my rent. But I don’t even have the chance to prove that I’m a good tenant when landlords flat out refuse to accept voucher holders,' said Bell, a member of Renters United Philadelphia."
We're hiring an executive administrative assistant
We are hiring for an Executive Administrative Assistant. This exciting position is an essential team member that will work with every level of staff. The position’s administrative functions support the operations of the office, the Development team, Executive Director and general office administration and serves as critical support to the Law Center’s day-to-day needs and overall mission.