This is outrageous

I was outraged to read that the state has agreed to pay Penn Hills for the education of Rick Santorum's children ("State Agrees to Pay Penn Hills Schools for Santorum," Sept. 2).

State law says, "A child shall be considered a resident of the school district in which his parents or guardian of his person resides."

If I tried to send my children to a school district in which I did not reside, would the state pay for their education? I think not.

Sen. Santorum knew what the law was when he moved to Virginia. He does not reside in Penn Hills. Spending a few nights there while he visits his wife's parents is not residing. He should be punished for this violation, not the taxpayers whom he is supposed to serve.

The taxpayers of Penn Hills should not have to pay, and we who live in the state shouldn't either.

KATHLEEN HIRT
South Park

Pay the tab

So a deal has been cut with the state Department of Education to "settle" Sen. Rick Santorum's $55,000 cyber school fees. How convenient. And the Department of Education skirts the state law requiring residency by simply not addressing the issue.

Pennsylvanians should be outraged. The public coffers that will be tapped to pay the cyber school fees are our hard-earned tax dollars.

Mr. Santorum should be true to his self-espoused Christian values and pay his bills like the rest of us. And then he should promptly be voted out of office for his unconscionable and duplicitous behavior.

Enough is enough.

GERRY BORRIELLO
Oakmont

His bill, not ours

After reading the article "State Agrees to Pay Penn Hills Schools for Santorum" (Sept. 2), I felt compelled to comment.

According to the article, Sen. Rick Santorum is not being accused of any wrongdoing. But the state Department of Education is going to pay the Penn Hills School District $55,000 if it will go away and be quiet. The senator is not even considered to be a formal party to the case. And his spokesperson is stonewalling by refusing to dignify a challenge with a comment. I find all of this rather incredible.

It appears that Sen. Santorum got caught trying to fool the Penn Hills School District. What I fail to understand is why the taxpayers will have to pay off the offended party. Why isn't the senator being held accountable for any transgressions, and why isn't he paying for any damages out of his own pocket instead of mine? I would hope that this doesn't become a precedent-setting event.

I would be greatly disappointed to discover that the taxpayers of this great state have to foot the bills for all of the unscrupulous behavior of some of their elected politicians.

But, then again, I guess we are already doing that at the state level. And maybe we are partially to blame. After all, we are the people who put them in office. Remember that in November.

THOMAS AUBRECHT
Green Tree