NEW CASTLE, Pa. - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is touring schools promoting his plan for investing in education. His budget plan calls for cutting property taxes, while increasing school funding.

The band played as Governor Wolf arrived at George Washington Intermediate School in New Castle on Wednesday. Inside the school students sang, "We're here to honor you, to recognize the things you do."

One of the things Governor Wolf wants to do is change school funding. “It's not right that property owners must chose between adequately funding schools and being able to stay in their homes," said Wolf.

His budget would increase state spending on education by hundreds of millions of dollars through adding a severance tax on the oil and gas industry similar to what other states have enacted.

“Right here in New Castle you will get 100 percent property tax relief. If you are a homeowner, if you are a farmstead owner you will get your property tax for the purpose of funding education it will drive to zero. It means the state is going to pick up the funding for schools here,” said Wolf.

School Superintendent John Sarandrea says teachers in the district routinely pull money out of their own pockets for supplemental materials. In the past four years the district has had to cut 26 teaching positions, increase class size, cut tutoring, pre-k education hours, arts and more.

Sarandrea said the Governor's plan would allow schools to increase staff and lower class size. “The increased class size makes it difficult to meet kid's needs with the diverse learning needs in each class,” said Sarandrea.

The Governor's plan is contingent upon getting it passed through the state legislature. Governor Wolf says he is confident people in communities will support his plan and contact their state lawmakers.

Whether the Republican controlled House and Senate agree that the formula equals success remains to be seen. Governor Wolf hopes much of his two year budget plan will be approved by the end of June.