Amtrak’s two routes with Pittsburgh stops saw ridership increases in the past fiscal year, according to ridership data the railroad announced this morning.
The Pennsylvanian, which runs between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia via Harrisburg, saw a 3.3 percent ridership increase, to 218,917, and a 12.4 percent gain in passenger revenue.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced in March that the state would commit $3.8 million to keep the service operating in the coming year.
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lehigh County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Allentown School Board approved a final 2013-14 budget Thursday that spares full-day kindergarten and most elementary school related arts positions but cuts 151 jobs, sending a ripple effect throughout the district.
School directors voted 5-4 to adopt a spending plan that slashes 127 teachers, 14 administrators and 10 maintenance/custodial workers from the district’s payroll. The cuts are accompanied by an 8.2 percent tax increase and a $10 million contribution from the district’s savings to keep the district afloat for another school year.
The only change to the $242 million budget was elimination of two vacant administrative positions — director of special projects and director of professional development. That decision saves about $200,000.
Full-day kindergarten and elementary school music, art and gym teachers, originally in jeopardy of being cut, are retained in the final budget. But the district will eliminate all five of its elementary librarians along with 19 middle-school related arts teachers.
Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-allentown-schools-final-budget-20130627,0,7917258.story#ixzz2XWm7azLQ
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