PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) \u2014 Philadelphia\u2019s schools chief is standing by his decision not to reverse school-based cuts following City Council\u2019s rejection of the mayor\u2019s proposed rideshare tax last week.<\/p>\n
City Council members were incensed that after allotting a one-time $48 million for the Philadelphia School District in next year\u2019s budget<\/a>, Superintendent Tony Watlington maintained that he would not restore 340 school-based cuts.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we\u2019re super grateful, unfortunately, it won\u2019t be enough revenue to pay for these positions year over year,\u201d because it is a one-time infusion, not recurring, he said on KYW Newsradio\u2019s After School podcast.<\/p>\n He compared it to having the money for the first year of a car loan: \u201cBut the next four years of that five-year car payment cycle, I don\u2019t have committed funds for it? I probably shouldn\u201dt buy the car.\u201d<\/p>\n Last week, City Council approved a $7.1 billion city budget with no new taxes<\/a>, rejecting Mayor Cherelle Parker\u2019s proposed dollar-a-ride tax on rideshares, which she said would have generated an estimated $48 million annually for the school district.<\/p>\n