Cigarette tax for Philly schools back on Pa. lawmakers' agenda

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Philadelphia's school system drew nearer to a badly needed infusion of cash Tuesday with a unanimous Pennsylvania House committee vote in favor of a $2-a-pack cigarette tax in the city.

The House Rules Committee voted after stripping out other unrelated provisions, which involve local hotel taxes and expansion of an economic development program for small cities.

"We have had discussions with the Senate and we feel very positive that the bill will move on as it just came out of rules," said Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny. He said a final House vote was likely in the next two session days, Wednesday or Monday.

Senate Republican spokesman Erik Arneson said the caucus will meet and discuss the bill once it's out of the House.

"We don't want to pre-judge anything before the House process is complete," he said.

The 135,000-student Philadelphia school district began the school year with an enormous hole in its $2.6 billion budget. It has cut 5,000 jobs and closed more than 30 schools in recent years.

Mayor Michael Nutter, whose attendance at the crowded meeting underscored the measure's importance to his city, said the vote showed a pathway for getting the tax enacted.

"We need these dollars and we need them as quickly as possible," Nutter told reporters.