City Council tries to keep public school issues local

If some City Council members have their way, the issue of privatizing the city's public schools will be left only to the voters -- not the mayor or the governor.

A ballot question, which allows registered voters, rather than elected officials, to make the decision on privatization, was introduced last Thursday by Councilman Michael Nutter and received wide preliminary approval. Nutter said he felt it was important to give voters a part in a decision that will ultimately affect the education of their children.

"I think voters and taxpayers and parents have been left out of this discussion all along, and I think this is a way of giving voters and parents a voice," Nutter said. "Between now and Election Day, there's a decent amount of time to continue to educate the public about what's involved."

The state and the city are currently considering a major overhaul of Philadelphia public schools, which presently carry a budget deficit of $216 million. As a result, part or all of the school operation may be taken away from the public sector and turned over to a private for-profit company.

Nutter has received wide support for his ballot question from the City Council, and he felt confident the measure would receive the necessary two-thirds vote in the upcoming council meeting.

"Members have indicated support all along," Nutter said. "Certainly the vote the other day was encouraging."

Dan Fee, a spokesman for Council President Anna Verna, said that Verna agreed the ballot question was necessary because privatization would be a major change in city government structure.

"It's a fundamental change in the way government operates," Fee said. "Schools are traditionally a public responsibility."

However, both Mayor John Street and Gov. Tom Ridge believe that a ballot question will only delay the debate over public schools.

"We just think that it is heading the city in the wrong direction for a couple of reasons," Philadelphia Assistant Secretary of Education Shane Creamer said. "First, we think it's inconsistent with and preempted by existing state law. We're also concerned that it's going to jeopardize the 30-day negotiations we're looking forward to."

Edison Schools Inc., a firm which Ridge hired to analyze and develop solutions for the Philadelphia School District's financial problems, is due to present a report to Ridge on Sept. 29. The city and state then have until Oct. 29 to decide how to proceed.

If no agreement is reached by the October deadline, the state will automatically assume control.

Tim Reeves, a spokesman for Ridge, said that the council proposal is perplexing since it would delay the process, and pointed out that Street himself imposed the Oct. 29 deadline.

"There's a certain amount of mixed signals," Reeves said. "It was Street who insisted that the governor take over on October 29."

Reeves also said that the measure was in violation of state law.

Nutter denied that the proposal would cause a delay, emphasizing the importance of giving Philadelphia citizens a voice.

"I respect the Street administration," Nutter said. "I don't think this issue affects anything. This is about what the sentiment is of the general public."

And not every Council member who gave preliminary approval last Thursday supported the measure wholeheartedly. Councilman Frank Rizzo said that although he was concerned it would delay conclusion of the issue, he also felt it was important to give Philadelphia citizens a say in the decision.

"I'm not suggesting it's a good [resolution]," Rizzo said. "I'm suggesting it's one that will allow the voters to have input on this particular issue."

Meanwhile, Edison is continuing its analysis and met with Ridge yesterday, despite being directly effected by last Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York. The company's main offices are in midtown Manhattan, which was brought to a standstill on Tuesday.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the company was scheduled to visit 32 of the district's 264 schools last week, but were unable to do this because Philadelphia shut down its schools for a part of Tuesday and all of Wednesday after the attacks.

Officials from Edison were unavailable for comment yesterday. According to Reeves, Ridge still expects the final report on Sept. 29.

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