School Board President Pedro Ramos indicates the district is exploring a broad range of ideas to close the gap, not just counting on more basic state aid. Mr. Ramos and Mayor Street have worked hard to build better ties with Gov. Ridge and lawmakers on the school issue. But it doesn't help them find friends and funds in Harrisburg when City Council appears reluctant to dig deeper for its own city schools. But the vow came after Council had approved its budget for 2000, and the commitment is still unfulfilled. More recently, the Street administration settled a city teachers' strike last fall without losing a day of school.
Council members have a right to ask fair questions about what they're being asked to do.
But at some point a stream of questions ceases to be due diligence and becomes foot-dragging. It's particularly aggravating to see Council members who postured as allies of the teachers' union during the contract impasse last fall now hesitating to put their votes where their rhetoric was. Council members fret that, in the hypothetical case of a state takeover, these sums being described as one-time boosts would get locked in for the long haul. Council needs to stop pondering theoretical problems and become part of real solutions. The competent school board and administration that Mayor Street has put in place have already shown they'll make painful cuts and come up with creative fiscal maneuvers to stave off meltdown.