Kevin Deely for State Representative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2012 CONTACT: Amanda Zellner cell: 484-695-0415; office: 484-854-0131 Deely Hosts Press Conference on State Education Budget Claims and New School Years Classroom Realities ALLENTOWN On Thursday, September 20 at 4 PM, Kevin Deely, a 10th grade English teacher and state House candidate for the 131st legislative district, was joined by fellow teachers, concerned parents, and students from Salisbury, Southern Lehigh, Allentown, and Saucon Valley school districts outside South Mountain Middle school as local residents heard the truth about education funding in Pennsylvania. One month into the school year, teachers, educators and support staff have now had time to review the impacts of the states 2012-13 education budget on Lehigh Valley schools. Class-sizes have jumped and vital services for our children are rapidly disappearing. With 14,000 educators already cut statewide, Deely provided testament of this own teaching experiences dealing with a furloughed staff. He highlighted the elimination of elective classes and extracurricular activities, but reassured his audience that, this doesnt mean that we [teachers] are working any less to reach our students- it only makes us work harder! Among the issues Deely addressed was the misinformation published by his opponent, Justin Simmons, in a taxpayer-funded newsletter where Simmons claimed Governor Corbetts budget increased education funding. Attached is a list of the cuts seen by the schools in the 131 Legislative District. Deely also announced his endorsement from the Education Voters PA, a non-partisan voice for education in PA. One local parent, Rebecca Glenister, voiced her concerns to Deely in an e-mail by stating, As a parent of one student at Western Salisbury Elementary and one student at Salisbury Middle School, I have seen changes this year in our schools as a result of last years budget cuts from Harrisburg. One very upsetting consequence is the elimination of the foreign language program for 6th and 7th grade studentsa recent and long-overdue addition to the curriculum that now has been cut. Also, several instructional assistant positions were eliminated entirely or reduced in hours, which will obviously affect many students and teachers throughout the district. Deely was joined by two Southern Lehigh High School students who are helping him promote literacy and announced a book drive at the conclusion of the press conference. Their goal is to collect 1,000 books by Election Day. The Lehigh Valley Cops N Kids Literacy program will distribute books collected to where they are needed the most in Deelys district. Drop off locations include the Southern Lehigh High School and the Deely headquarters at 2101 Mack Blvd, Allentown. PO Box 173 Center Valley, PA 18034-0173 Phone: 484-854-0131 Email: kevindeelypa.com

www.KevinDeelyPA.com

______________________________________ Paid for by the Friends of Kevin Deely

Kevin Deely for State Representative

September 20, 2012 Press Conference- Kevin Deelys Speech: Thank you everyone for coming out today. My name is Kevin Deely, and Im running for State Representative in the 131st district. Im proud to announce today that I just received the endorsement of Education Voters PA, a non-partisan voice for education in Pennsylvania. Im a father and a teacher, and Im running for this office because I want all of our children to have a better future. I want our children to have all the benefits that we had growing up. I want them to have all the opportunities we had to be successful doesnt any parent? Isnt that our dream for our children? Doesnt every parent want their child to shine? Unfortunately, because of the staggering budget cuts executed by Governor Corbett and fully supported by Justin Simmons, the dream of that bright future is lost to thousands of children in the Lehigh Valley. We can do better! We need to do better! We must do better! I called this press conference to address the staggering misinformation my opponent has been spreading around about school funding. I find it irresponsible and insulting that Representative Simmons would stoop so low as to blatantly mislead the public about his votes to gut public education funding, and steal a future from our children. In a taxpayer funded mailing that he sent out this month to the constituents of the 131st District, Rep. Simmons claims that he and Gov. Corbett increased state spending on public education. Rep. Simmons disingenuously boasts of actually increasing funding to Lehigh Valley schools. In reality, our schools are suffering from the drastic cuts made to public education since my opponent and Gov. Corbett took office. Here is a list of the TRUE budget cuts for schools in the 131st Legislative District since 2010: Allentown City School District? $5.6 million less in funding. (not $7.7m more)

PO Box 173 Center Valley, PA 18034-0173 Phone: 484-854-0131 Email: kevindeelypa.com

www.KevinDeelyPA.com

______________________________________ Paid for by the Friends of Kevin Deely

East Penn School District? $1.9 million less in funding. (not a $1.4 million increase) Salisbury Township School District? $260,000 less in funding. (not $378,000 more) Saucon Valley School District? $366,000 less in funding. (not $569,000 more) Southern Lehigh School District? $512,000 less in funding. (not $680,000 more) He says he increased funding by over $10 million to our schools, when he actually cut it by $8.5 million. Thats a huge difference, and an irresponsible claim to our taxpayers.

His cuts are directly responsible for the double digist increases in school property taxes. Make no mistake about it- by not funding out schools from the state side, your taxes are going up. It must stop. By the way, I wish I could tell you how much Rep. Simmons spent of our taxpayer dollars to misinform constituents. Although, since he hasnt updated his expenses on his web page since January, we just dont know. If you dont believe that the state has cut funding to our schools, just look around. The numbers dont add up. As anyone who reads a newspaper knows, the bleeding from thousands of school cuts didnt magically stop with this years budget. As a high school English teacher, I see it first hand every day. Like many of my colleagues, my student load has increased by fifty students; our elective classes have been largely eliminated and extra-curricular activities have been cut in half. This doesnt mean we are working any less to reach our students it only makes us work harder. Unfortunately, our children are losing out. Is this the future we want for Pennsylvania? I think not! These needs are no longer being met.! But dont take my word for it. Rebecca Glenister, a parent of students in Salisbury said shes dismayed at the cuts, too. She says, I have seen changes this year in our schools as a result of last years budget cuts from Harrisburg. One very upsetting consequence is the elimination of the foreign language program for 6th and 7th grade studentsa recent and long-overdue addition to the curriculum that now has been cut. Also, several instructional assistant positions were eliminated entirely or reduced in hours, which will obviously affect many students and teachers throughout the district.! PO Box 173 Center Valley, PA 18034-0173 Phone: 484-854-0131 Email: kevindeelypa.com

www.KevinDeelyPA.com

______________________________________ Paid for by the Friends of Kevin Deely

Across the region, Kindergarten, music, art, foreign language, industrial arts, physical education and home economics have continued to be put up on the chopping block by our cash-strapped districts. Why would this happen if, as my opponent claims, funding dollars had not only been restored, but increased? Hundreds of hard-working teachers and staff in Allentown and Bethlehem schools have been furloughed. Vital teaching and educational support positions in Allentown, East Penn, Saucon Valley, Southern Lehigh, Salisbury and even Parkland, are going unfilled. But I am not just standing here because of MY children. I think every child has a right to have a good education, and not just, as Mitt Romney says, the education they can afford. But Gov. Corbett, with the support of lawmakers like Rep. Simmons, would rather see the money that should go to our public schools, instead go to lining the pockets of Corbetts campaign buddies. Sadly, Simmons and his boss' message of austerity doesnt solve our revenue problems. Rather, it just kicks it down to the local level. They want it to be our problem, rather than theirs. And then they point the finger at our communities and say its our fault. Thats not leadership. And that's definitely not maturity. Thats just playing the kids game of kick the can. If I am elected to be your state representative, I promise to work to restore state funding to our schools, because I believe that investing in education is the key to our regions future. And because I want all our kids to shine. Some of our students are working to help fill the gap, are going to do a book drive to help. Miles and Tom go to Souther Lehigh High School Theyll explain.

PO Box 173 Center Valley, PA 18034-0173 Phone: 484-854-0131 Email: kevindeelypa.com

www.KevinDeelyPA.com

______________________________________ Paid for by the Friends of Kevin Deely

EAST PENN SD

Impact of State Budget Cuts

2010-2011 Actual State Budget Funding: 2011-2012 Actual State Budget Funding: 2012-2013 Final State Budget Funding: Total Cuts Since 2010-2011: $12,445,350 $10,575,009 $10,576,114 ($1,869,236)

State Legislators: State Representative(s)

HON RYAN MACKENZIE (610) 965-9933 HON JUSTIN SIMMONS (610) 861-5201

State Senator(s)
HON PATRICK BROWNE (610) 821-8468 HON BOB MENSCH (215) 541-2388

Breakdown of Cuts Since 2010-2011

Basic Ed Funding: Accountability Block Grants: Charter School Reimbursement: Other Public Education Programs: $970,446 $342,538 $556,252 $0

Total cuts to major instructional subsidies:

$1,869,236

Learn more and speak up for public schools at www.savepaschools.org

ALLENTOWN CITY SD

Impact of State Budget Cuts

2010-2011 Actual State Budget Funding: 2011-2012 Actual State Budget Funding: 2012-2013 Final State Budget Funding: Total Cuts Since 2010-2011: $94,011,846 $84,376,972 $88,386,602 ($5,625,244)

State Legislators: State Representative(s)

HON JOSEPH BRENNAN (610) 882-1510 HON JENNIFER MANN (610) 821-5577 HON STEVE SAMUELSON (610) 867-3890 HON JUSTIN SIMMONS (610) 861-5201

State Senator(s)
HON PATRICK BROWNE (610) 821-8468

Breakdown of Cuts Since 2010-2011

Basic Ed Funding: Accountability Block Grants: Charter School Reimbursement: Other Public Education Programs: $251,019 $2,420,304 $2,144,864 $1,311,095

Total cuts to major instructional subsidies:

$5,625,244

Learn more and speak up for public schools at www.savepaschools.org

SALISBURY TOWNSHIP SD

Impact of State Budget Cuts

2010-2011 Actual State Budget Funding: 2011-2012 Actual State Budget Funding: 2012-2013 Final State Budget Funding: Total Cuts Since 2010-2011: $2,431,708 $2,171,604 $2,171,604 ($260,104)

State Legislators: State Representative(s)

HON JOSEPH BRENNAN (610) 882-1510 HON RYAN MACKENZIE (610) 965-9933 HON JUSTIN SIMMONS (610) 861-5201

State Senator(s)
HON BOB MENSCH (215) 541-2388

Breakdown of Cuts Since 2010-2011

Basic Ed Funding: Accountability Block Grants: Charter School Reimbursement: Other Public Education Programs: $135,374 $57,806 $65,486 $1,438

Total cuts to major instructional subsidies:

$260,104

Learn more and speak up for public schools at www.savepaschools.org

SAUCON VALLEY SD

Impact of State Budget Cuts

2010-2011 Actual State Budget Funding: 2011-2012 Actual State Budget Funding: 2012-2013 Final State Budget Funding: Total Cuts Since 2010-2011: $3,194,053 $2,828,262 $2,828,263 ($365,790)

State Legislators: State Representative(s)

HON ROBERT FREEMAN (610) 253-5543 HON JUSTIN SIMMONS (610) 861-5201

State Senator(s)
HON LISA BOSCOLA (610) 868-8667

Breakdown of Cuts Since 2010-2011

Basic Ed Funding: Accountability Block Grants: Charter School Reimbursement: Other Public Education Programs: $112,129 $84,191 $169,470 $0

Total cuts to major instructional subsidies:

$365,790

Learn more and speak up for public schools at www.savepaschools.org

SOUTHERN LEHIGH SD

Impact of State Budget Cuts

2010-2011 Actual State Budget Funding: 2011-2012 Actual State Budget Funding: 2012-2013 Final State Budget Funding: Total Cuts Since 2010-2011: $4,758,116 $4,246,309 $4,246,309 ($511,807)

State Legislators: State Representative(s)

HON JUSTIN SIMMONS (610) 861-5201

State Senator(s)
HON BOB MENSCH (215) 541-2388 HON JOHN RAFFERTY (610) 831-8830

Breakdown of Cuts Since 2010-2011

Basic Ed Funding: Accountability Block Grants: Charter School Reimbursement: Other Public Education Programs: $169,241 $91,150 $205,012 $46,404

Total cuts to major instructional subsidies:

$511,807

Learn more and speak up for public schools at www.savepaschools.org