In a letter addressed to Pennsylvania School Superintendents, members of the Pennsylvania State Senate warned schools not to count on funding from the state next year. In the letter, dated April 27, 2010, leaders in the state senate told school administrators that there would be no guaranteed level of funding for the 2010-2011 school year.

The letter was signed by Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph B. Scarnati (R-25), Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-09), Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jake Corman (R-34) and Senate Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey E. Piccola (R-15)."We are writing to advise you that the Commonwealth's financial position has changed significantly since the Governor announced is FY 2010-2011 budget proposal on February 9. Therefore, we urge you to be very cautious when preparing your FY 2010-11 budget."Jim Thorpe Area School District receives between $5 million and $6 million annually from the state."The 2010-11 budget that I introduce today is a budget that works," wrote Governor Edward Rendell (D) when he announced his budget on February 9. "It balances the needs of our citizens with the financial pressures the national economic downturn has imposed. It readies our young people and businesses for the opportunities that a reviving economy will bring. It also provides a road map to prepare for future fiscal challenges by setting aside new revenue to help balance the 2011-12 budget."The Governor's proposed budget for school year 2010-2011 calls for $11,496,256 in expenditures for education, up from $11,040,162 in 2009-2010 but down from $11,680,135 in 2008-2009.Jim Thorpe's Board of Education is still working to finalize its 2010-2011 school year budget and must finalize it by the end of May in order to provide 30 days for public review before voting on the final budget by the state's deadline of June 30. The board had hoped to finalize its budget by the end of April in order to get tax bills out to residents a month early, but that deadline has passed and the board is still working to trim the budget in order to avoid a high tax increase for area residents.According to the Sunshine Review website, Pennsylvania was the last state in the union to finalize its 2010 budget, reaching an agreement on October 9, 2010, 109 days past the beginning of the state's fiscal year on July 1. The state hasn't passed a budget on time since 2003 and if it doesn't meet the June 30 deadline this year, it will be the eighth straight year PA has been late. Complicating things this year is an upcoming election. Republicans and Democrats are already sparring over the budget and other issues in hopes of attracting voters to the polls in November.