House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

The School District Philadelphia's finances appear to reflect a gap between revenues and expenses that will continue to grow if left uncorrected. Expenditures have outpaced revenues, requiring significant reductions in services to students. These cuts to education programs and services are an injustice to the students who continue to suffer as a result of the district’s financial turmoil. We cannot in good conscience continue to spend increasing amounts of taxpayer money without a greater level of accountability.

I sponsored and this chamber unanimously adopted on October 15, 2014 HR 1061, which urged the Auditor General to conduct a forensic audit of the finances, expenditures and use of funds and grants of the school district of Philadelphia over the last five years. The purpose of the audit was to provide a complete picture of the district’s finances, address any improprieties, negligence or misuse of funds received and provide recommendations in order to fix the district’s financial crisis.

Although my resolution was adopted more than four years ago, no audit has yet been conducted. As such, urging the Auditor General to conduct the forensic audit, and directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to undertake a comprehensive review of Federal, State and City funds allocated to the School District of Philadelphia and how the funds have been spent. My hope is that a comprehensive review and report by the LBFC will provide some insight into the school district’s finances and prompt the Auditor General to finally conduct the forensic audit that we demand.

Please join me in calling for answers regarding the finances of the state’s largest school district. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my Harrisburg office at 717-705-1925.