Of course, school officials have heard that before.

The special funding was created in 1995 for schools that had lost 25 percent of their assessed property values over 10 years. The other schools are Aliquippa, Duquesne, Monessen, New Castle, Steel Valley and Clairton.

The program was designed to run for four years with Farrell receiving about $1.3 million the first year and the amount declining each year after that.

The fourth year's allocation, $158,000 has been extended for the last two years, and will continue this year.

Matthew Seagrist, legislative assistant for state Sen. Robert D. "Bob" Robbins, Salem Township, R-50th District, confirmed that Farrell will get another year of funding.

"This year will likely be the last they can expect that," he said. Seagrist said he got the word from the Appropriations Committee staff.

The state has sent that message before and Gov. Tom Ridge has said that he wants to end the program.

State Rep. Michael C. Gruitza, D-7th District, Hermitage, has made continuing the funding a priority and district Superintendent Richard R. Rubano Jr. has argued Farrell's case in Harrisburg.

With a mill of taxes bringing in about $17,000, the funding is worth 9.3 mills.