Michael Sauers
July 3, 2025
It is a given that an investment in equitable education is by far the best economic development tool. Think-tanks, corporations, universities and governments proclaim this through countless studies. It is the foundation and surpasses infrastructure, technology, regulations, financing, trade, natural resources, government, and inclusivity. It develops human capital, increases earnings and tax revenues, reduces societal costs, creates economic growth and jobs and, most importantly, fosters equitable growth. It is a tool for economic development and social justice. It is a no-brainer. Caveat-Beware AI!
Why then don’t we do it? Let’s take Pennsylvania as an example. It is notorious for underfunding its public schools. This “underfunding” has been an issue for decades. In 2014, a critical mass of momentum was reached and the Public Interest Law Center together with the Education Law Center and O’Melveny & Meyers LLP filed suit in Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. The suit asked the Court to force the legislature to comply with the state’s constitution and ensure all students receive access to high quality public education. On February 7, 2023 Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding system was unconstitutional and must be reformed. With no appeals put forward, the decision became final. Again, Beware AI!
To make things right an expenditure of 6 billion dollars (2023) would be necessary. That is a lot of money. Fortunately, at that time, Pennsylvania had a surplus of 12 billion dollars from which it earned 780 million dollars in interest. Currently, (July, 2025) the State of Pennsylvania enjoys a 14 billion dollar surplus. Beware greed, stupidity, cowardice and misplaced priorities.
As usual, Governor Shapiro and the Legislature did not prioritize the constitutional rights of students. They did not recognize the overwhelming consensus that equitable education is the most powerful economic development tool in the tool box. Instead they chose to follow habitually failed strategies while operating within a structural deficit. The simple translation is “you spend more than you take in.”
Pennsylvania governors and legislatures have a history of acting unconstitutionally. For decades they ignored or misinterpreted Section 127 of the Pennsylvania Constitution which guarantees citizens significant constitutional rights regarding clean air, pure water, etc. As noted above, some of the same geniuses had their derrieres hustled into Commonwealth Court for schooling about the unconstitutional paradigm used for school funding. Now, these same “leaders” use debt maneuvers in a manner that goes against specific language in the Pennsylvania Constitution regarding debt. This will go to court also as it appears to be illegal.
Depending on who you ask, there are varying figures for Pennsylvania’s 2024-2025 structural deficit. The truth lies somewhere between 3 and 5 billion dollars. Left-wing cracked pots, right-wing cracked pots and centrist cracked pots (that is how they refer to each other) all point to BILLIONS of dollars of “corporate welfare” that is doled in Pennsylvania. Oil and gas (fracking), movies, horseracing, land/waterfront development, etc., etc., etc. Look it up. These are all entities that DO NOT need to have their hands in taxpayers pockets. They are already wildly successful but enough is never enough! Additionally, Pennsylvania is rife with tax avoiders, evaders and fraud to the tune of 1-2 billion dollars. Throw in Delaware Loophole, LERTA, and scores of other generous “corporate welfare” programs and you start looking at real MONEY!
Beyond balancing a budget, these monies should fund equitable schools as well as libraries, parks, clean water, sanitation, homeless shelters, food pantries etc., etc., etc.. You get the picture.
Don’t expect our local representatives to voluntarily pick up this advocacy. They are part of a circular redundancy. We must demand that they do it, if we can find them.