Today's edition of the Nutter news watch features the mayor-elect's ability to create funding for the public schools out of... well... nothing.
Let me 'splain. Just as I was about to write yet another blog post about everyone's favorite state-run, city agency and their inability not just to come up with this year's long-promised $10 million for the School District, but also falling woefully short of the $25 million that they're supposed to deliver to the city, the mayor-elect steps in and, voila, "$2.65 million short" of its obligations to the city becomes "$1.25 million" in excess, which goes to the School District.
Sure, it's not $10 million but considering that the PPA has given exactly $0 to the School District since an accounting error in 2004 resulted in a $4 million payment, it's a start. (I'm reminded of Indiana Jones's classic line: "Sallah, I said *no* camels. That's *five* camels. Can't you count?")
As reported on WHYY about an hour ago:
Philadelphia's public schools got an early Christmas present from the Philadelphia Parking Authority today. Authority officials say that after some creative accounting and budget cutting, they'll be able to contribute more than $26 million to the City of Philadelphia, including 1.25 million for the school district. Mayor Elect Michael Nutter announced the decision at the authority's monthly board meeting today. He praised the school advocates in attendance for keeping the pressure on the authority, but he also reminded them that the real funding battle is in Harrisburg.
Nutter:
"The parking authority of the city of Philadelphia was not created to solely fund or solve the financial problems of the school district . Those responsibilities are situated between the city, state and the federal government. And I would strongly encourage you from this day forward to redirect our collective efforts towards the primary funders of public education."
Advocates have been pushing Parking Authority officials for months to make good on a longstanding promise to help fund public schools. The agency's revenues and staff have doubled in the five years, but this is its first financial contribution to the school district since 2004. Nutter says he expects to improve the city's working relationship with the authority in order to keep those contributions coming in 2009 and beyond.
Quite an amazing turnaround. Now if only I could use some creative accounting to get my credit balance to a positive $25 million.
Comments (6)
We should not have to depend on creative accounting and pressure to get PPA to function as it should. Either they function correctly on a daily basis or that agency can be turned over to another management team. Plain, simple, no creativity required.
Posted by KEM | December 18, 2007 10:06 AM
They give the City 25 million a year. If the City is so concerned about the schools, why don't they give the 25 million they get first to the schools. The PPA is not made for the school districts funding machine.
Posted by Jim | December 18, 2007 1:00 PM
What's creative accounting mean? I've been in accounting as a CPA for more than 15 years and I've never been able to swing an organizations books from losing money to a $25 million surplus. Either the books were wrong or someone is using the government version of Enron's accounting systems.
Posted by Dan | December 18, 2007 1:28 PM
AND WHAT PART OF THIS SURPRISES YOU??
Posted by Anonymous | December 18, 2007 2:17 PM
I've been wondering what "live stop" was ever since I found a flier on my porch shortly before the mayoral primary that "accused" Nutter of "supporting live stop" or something to that effect. It was paid for by Knox, IIRC.
Posted by Anonymous | December 18, 2007 5:14 PM
I support live stop. I didn't know the PPA had anything to do with it, which I don't like.
Posted by Mark Chalupa | December 25, 2007 2:21 PM