In defense of "Harrisburg"

 Oct. 1, 2025

Hello Mr. _______and friends,

My name is Terry Fitzgibbons.  I’m a proud 2000 graduate of LaSalle.  Many family members and friends are graduates and have worked with LaSalle and LaSallian institutions.  I attended my 25-year reunion in April.  I cherish my high school memories, and I enjoy updates from Wyndmoor.  Thank you for your newsletter

I write, however, because I am concerned with the increasing anti-"Harrisburg" messages that have been coming from the newsletter.  Item #2 from today (Vol. 7, No. 2, Oct. 2025) reads, "Don't give your money to Harrisburg--Support LaSalle."  In my view, this emphasis is harmful and even contravenes the spirit of the founder, St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle.  

In addition to the privilege of attending LaSalle, I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through eighth grade, and also I attended Catholic higher education.  Growing up, though, we always understood that our private/Catholic schooling should not be viewed in competition with public education, or public goods more broadly.  While we would debate exactly what our taxes should pay for, we always understood that our taxes should, in the first place, pay for public goods, in order to ensure a healthy civic life.  That is, taxation was/is the price of living in a civilization.  Attending LaSalle or donating to LaSalle did not excuse us from those obligations.  

While I am not currently a beneficiary of "Harrisburg," I am a beneficiary of "Trenton."  My neighbors and I use public roads and public transportation, use public libraries, visit public parks, use public healthcare when available, and we send our kids to public schools.  We believe that a healthy, functioning democracy must provide public goods and that these can only be secured through fair and just taxation. We do not view Catholic--or Jewish or Muslim, for that matter--institutions as competition but as part of the rich social fabric.  But, much of that social fabric must be public and accessible for all.  

At a time when our democracy teeters on the edge and when fascistic forces abound, I don't believe it is wise to denigrate "Harrisburg" (or "Trenton") broadly.  

I now teach public school myself, and my students are all low-income.  They are the beneficiaries of taxes going to Trenton and coming back to serve them.  I believe they are the young people whom St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle would stand in solidarity with, no matter their creed.  They, in turn, will join the workforce and pay taxes to support public goods themselves.  It is a virtuous cycle when done well and fairly. 

Finally, it is well documented that wealthy individuals and institutions avoid taxes through such donation schemes as Pennsylvania's EITC/OSTC.  At a time of obscene wealth inequality--a trend of the past 45 years but heightened in the past year--we should not be encouraging tax avoidance.

I understand that my interpretation and response might sound like hyperbole.  In the context of already existing inequality, I understand the EITC/OSTC is meant to serve Pennsylvania's neediest students, and I understand LaSalle does some good outreach and provides generous financial aid to needy families, and that is good.  I personally would advocate for different policies, but I understand you don't make or advocate for policy, and it only makes sense that you would take advantage of policies that would benefit the institution of LaSalle and also benefit needy students.  

Is it possible, however, to pursue that while not denigrating "Harrisburg" broadly?  Without good, common public goods, our social fabric will continue to fray, and demagogues will continue to take advantage of a hollowed-out public.  We need not pit LaSalle's private growth against the necessary public goods that most of the rest of us rely on.  

Thank you for listening.  I appreciate your consideration, and I wish you all the best this school year.

Live Jesus in our hearts, Forever!

-Terry Fitzgibbons '00