×

Bad comparison

A recent letter writer complains that the Williamsport Area School District budget is $80,926,986. I wondered whether this figure was abnormally high. For perspective, I researched the school budgets for the two largest cities in the nation. The Los Angeles Unified School District costs taxpayers $7.3 billion. The New York City school district is highest in the nation at $24 billion.

For another perspective, I researched the budget for cities similar in size to WASD. Scranton seems to have a larger enrollment but has a much higher budget at $120.4 million. Altoona School District, closer in size to WASD, is at $89,315,534. Kovich invited his audience to research the budgets of other countries in his complaint of the Williamsport School District funding.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to compare the budget of Williamsport to European socialist countries or China and Russia. Mayor Gabriel Campana worked for the WASD for a number of years. I have a feeling that he is more knowledgeable about the school district’s budgetary problems than myself, Mr. Kovich and a majority of the residents of Lycoming County.

Michael Shulski

Williamsport

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today