Merger Talk: Pottstown/Pottsgrove

From the Pottstown Mercury.

Replace Pottstown and Pottsgrove with Morrisville and Pennsbury, in whatever direction you want. Wouldn't the story be the same?

Pottsgrove cool to merging with Pottstown
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:53 PM EST
By Evan Brandt

The Pottsgrove School Board has no immediate interest in having talks with their Pottstown counterparts about consolidating the two school districts.

As part of his budget proposal, Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed consolidating Pennsylvania's 501 school districts down to 100.

The issue had been raised locally on both sides of the border in connection with the fact that both districts are embarking on expensive school renovation programs.

Last Thursday, Pottstown School Board member Robert Hartman said he contacted Pottsgrove School Board President Michael Neiffer so see if there was any interest in having a joint meeting to explore the possibility of consolidation.

The Pottsgrove board's response? Essentially, "let's wait and see what the state does."

Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of pottsmerc.com.

rciffo wrote on Feb 11, 2009 7:48 PM:
" All a merger will do is cause a smaller group to manage a larger organization. Big mistake...loss of local autonomy. When I last checked Pottstown spent ~$15K/student and Pottsgrove ~$13.5K/student. All you rocket scientists out there...guess what will happen to Pottsgrove spending. Yep, it'll be raised to match Pottstown's. And guess how much of it will go to solve Pottstown issues? Probably all of it. (And all of you whiners who like to write your complaints in crayon, I'm not saying Pottsgrove is perfect...far from it.) Here's hoping Fast Eddie Rendell doesn't figure out a way to ram it down our collective throats. "