Wobbly Funding For Phila. Schools a Business Issue, Too, Nutter Tells Leaders

By John Ostapkovich

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Mayor Nutter says Philadelphia's unsteady school funding ought to be cause for concern in the business community.

Today, the 2014 edition of the annual mayoral luncheon with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, held at a center city hotel, was largely given over to the good news the city has enjoyed in population growth, entrepreneurship, and the innovation economy.

But while Mayor Nutter took a while to get around to the elephant in the room, he put the lack of reliable, student-weighted education funding in a business context.

"There is not one business in this room that would operate that way," he told the business leaders.  "Your shareholders, your investors, your employees, or your customers would not stand for it.  And when it comes to education, the schoolchildren and the parents of this city won't stand for it, either.  We must do better.  We can do better.  We will do better on behalf of the children of Philadelphia."

Nutter called on chamber members to make some noise in Harrisburg to shore up funding.

In:
• KYW Newsradio 1060
• Pennsylvania Legislature
• Education
• School District of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia