If No Cigarette Tax By Aug. 15, Phila. School District Says Layoffs Will Begin
Philadelphia's schools superintendent says if the state legislature doesn't authorize a cigarette tax by the middle of next month, he'll begin sending out pink slips.
Watch CBS News
Philadelphia's schools superintendent says if the state legislature doesn't authorize a cigarette tax by the middle of next month, he'll begin sending out pink slips.
Hillary Linardopoulos, of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, said the ballot question would be an important -- albeit symbolic -- statement.
Council president Darrell Clarke said an additional $30 million would serve as a stopgap in case Harrisburg approves a city tax on cigarettes.
Philadelphia school district officials are warning of dire consequences if the city and state don't quickly come through with millions in new funding.
Drexel paid $25 million for the school building, which the district closed last June.
The money comes from a group called the Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia -- from businesses who get Pennsylvania corporate tax credits for contributing.
The report, by the Policy Lab at Children's Hospital, says 17 percent of Philadelphia school students have been involved with DHS or the juvenile justice system, and 20 percent of those in high schools.
The School District of Philadelphia's plan to sell a shuttered high school to Drexel University appears to be a go, and that would mean an infusion of cash for the schools next week as officials struggle to pay the bills by month's end.
But the lawmakers voiced frustration at how the school district conducts its business.
School District of Philadelphia to host its first dramatic stage play ever. The play, presented Saturday at 8pm, is a fictional account of a meeting between civil rights leaders Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
City Council president Darrell Clarke says the school district's immediate need for $35 million by month's end is a "self-inflicted wound" because the district, in his view, dragged its feet on selling old, shuttered buildings.
Even so, the proposed legislation does not fully meet the district's needs for the coming year.
At a Council hearing this morning, school district COO Fran Burns said seven of the 27 buildings have buyers, and the rest are not likely to bring in as much as had been hoped.
Council President Clarke wants to revise the state's plan for city sales tax revenues so that over four years, the proceeds are split between the schools and the city pension fund. He and the mayor also want approval for a city tax on cigarettes.
The School Reform Commission has decided to defy the city charter and not pass a budget for next year on time.
It's a victory in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for the School District of Philadelphia in its dispute with the Walter D. Palmer Charter School.
City Council president Darrell Clarke has decided to play it safe, adding a fallback provision to his plan to send sales tax proceeds to the cash-starved school district.
The incident happened around 2 p.m. at the Andrew Jackson School.
Philadelphia school officials told city council, today, the deadline for massive lay-offs is getting close and a failure to to come up with funding will mean dire conditions in schools next year.
Four of the five, including Cayuga Elementary School principal Evelyn Cortez, now have a preliminary hearing on July 18th to face charges that they gave students answers to standardized tests.
It may be a tough sell in Harrisburg, but City Council is hoping to convince state lawmakers to sign on to their revised school bailout plan.
Mayor Nutter says he's concerned that the proposed graduated split in sales tax proceeds would need approval from the state General Assembly.
The Philadelphia school funding crisis was coming to a head in City Council as the Council president introduced a bailout plan that neither the mayor, state lawmakers, nor school advocates are likely to embrace.
M. Night Shyamalan's book, "I Got Schooled," outlines five practices he says data show will improve school performance.
The historic Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, Delaware, was destroyed in a fire early Sunday morning.
Two people died after a car crash involving two vehicles in Philadelphia's Juniata Park section late Saturday night.
The Philadelphia region is chasing 90 degrees with mostly sunny skies on Sunday.
Alex Smalley has a two-shot lead in the PGA Championship.
Dozens of people gathered for the 2nd annual Delaware County Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Festival.
The historic Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, Delaware, was destroyed in a fire early Sunday morning.
About 100 officers responded to the King of Prussia Mall on Saturday after a crowd tried to enter the mall and the Swatch store.
Two people died after a car crash involving two vehicles in Philadelphia's Juniata Park section late Saturday night.
The Philadelphia region is chasing 90 degrees with mostly sunny skies on Sunday.
Alex Smalley has a two-shot lead in the PGA Championship.
Two people died after a car crash involving two vehicles in Philadelphia's Juniata Park section late Saturday night.
Dozens of people gathered for the 2nd annual Delaware County Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Festival.
The PGA Championship has bumped up its prize fund by $1.5 million.
About 100 officers responded to the King of Prussia Mall on Saturday after a crowd tried to enter the mall and the Swatch store.
Two people were injured after a shooting in a McDonald's parking lot in Allentown Friday night, police say.
Thousands of people across the country came together Saturday to remember the lives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.
The PrideFest parade Saturday will cross state lines, starting in Lambertville and ending in New Hope, where a full festival celebrates the reason for the season.
A recent college graduate in New Jersey is warning others to look for these red flags after she received a fake job offer.
As the Delaware Valley happily leaves a snowy winter behind, many can hardly wait to hit the Jersey Shore for Memorial Day weekend.
For the first time ever, the World Cup final will host a Super Bowl-style halftime show, with megawatt headliners Madonna, Shakira and BTS.
A Delaware man is in custody after he barricaded himself and started a fire inside a Wawa store on Limestone Road, police say.
A New Castle County, Delaware, refinery is starting repairs that could increase its sulfur dioxide emissions levels past permitted limits.
At 108 years old, Susan Young Browne still exercises, drives and visits the Dover, Delaware, senior center she's been a member of for more than 50 years.
Delaware State University students are taking off from Chandelle Airport in Dover as they work to become future Army aviators.
Crews were called out to the 2000 block of North Harrison Street for a reported blaze at a three-story building.
NAMI Montgomery County is hosting a mental health awareness and fundraising walk for the organization's free mental health programs.
The head of the World Health Organization says "our work is not over" to contain hantavirus after evacuations from a cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak of the illness.
Doctors in New Jersey say an illness known as CHS that affects cannabis users is on the rise.
An American on the repatriation flight began showing symptoms of hantavirus and another "tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus," the Department of Health and Human Services says.
More than 100 people from a cruise ship dealing with an outbreak of the rare and deadly hantavirus are set to be disembarked.
The 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club is a huge boost for Pottstown, Pennsylvania-based Lessen the Loads.
Bars and restaurants in Newtown Square are gearing up for an influx of customers as the 2026 PGA Championship is here.
If you dine out in Philadelphia during the 2026 FIFA World Cup events, you could end up paying more.
Bimbo Bakeries USA employs over 20,000 people and has been headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, for the past 17 years.
Photos by HughE Dillon
A Delaware woman died in a multi-vehicle crash on I-95 in South Philadelphia Tuesday night while her 4-year-old daughter was in the backseat, state police said.
A serious crash in Hainesport, New Jersey, forced Route 38 to close Thursday night.
The ramp from Front Street to northbound I-95 and the ramp from southbound I-95 to Front Street will reopen the afternoon of May 8 until the morning of May 11.
Breeze Airways launched its first flights out of Atlantic City International Airport just days after Spirit Airlines shut down suddenly.
The sudden shutdown of Spirit Airlines is having an outsized impact on Atlantic City International Airport, where the budget carrier accounted for about 75% of all flights.
Alex Smalley has a two-shot lead in the PGA Championship.
Cristopher Sánchez struck out a career-high 13 and earned his second career shutout as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0.
The PGA Championship has bumped up its prize fund by $1.5 million.
Kyle Schwarber is on a hot streak and so are the Philadelphia Phillies.
Kyle Schwarber hit his majors-leading 19th and 20th home runs of the season and Philadelphia rallied past Pittsburgh 11-9 in 10 innings.
Uzo Aduba and Darren Criss announced the 2026 Tony nominees for select categories on "CBS Mornings" on Tuesday.
If you dine out in Philadelphia during the 2026 FIFA World Cup events, you could end up paying more.
Call Your Mother, a Washington D.C. based bagel and deli chain, now has the keys to Metropolitan's Rittenhouse Square location.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is embracing a statue it once kept at arm's length.
The "Dog Days Are Over" for the Flyers, but their return to the playoffs comes at the cost of the Florence + the Machine concert.
Ukee Washington reports.
Natasha Brown reports.
Natasha Brown reports.
Natasha Brown reports.
Ukee Washington reports.
Middle school students in Philadelphia got the opportunity to do hands-on learning during the school district's five-day career and technical camp.
With her Girl Talk mentoring program, one Philadelphia teen turned her camp days into a safe space to discuss social issues young girls face every day.
Recent high school graduate Sylvain Farrell says his temporary position at a local clinic is the pathway to a full-time career.
A Philadelphia student won an award from NFL Films for his documentary on bringing back sports teams at his Kensington school.
A group of East Norriton eighth graders took what started as an Earth Day project and made a whole initiative.
United States military personnel were honored at Day 3 of the PGA Championship on Armed Forces Day. A ceremony was held before players teed off that included a military flyover at Aronimink Golf Club.
Hundreds of mail-in ballots sent in by Philadelphia voters are at risk of not being counted due to errors, according to the Philadelphia City Commissioners office.
Planning a getaway? On this week's Pet Project, Pennsylvania SPCA animal advocate Carol Erickson shares how to keep your dog's stress level down when you're packing up.
High temperatures will soar into the 90s Sunday and kick off the Delaware Valley's first potential heat wave of the year. After a stretch of hot weather, temps take a nose dive heading into the weekend.
Shorts, sandals, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Sums up Sunday! Andrew Kozak reports.