Philadelphia's City Council finally reached a deal that aims to alleviate the fiscal crisis of the school district while promising to avoid laying off 800 employees and additional cuts in education.

Although City Council President Darrell Clarke flatly opposed borrowing money, the council approved legislation on Thursday to borrow $27 million. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown filed another initiative to gather an additional $30 million, which will be put to a vote in September when the council resumes its activities.

"The initiative that I presented is the result of constant communication, diplomacy and above all, constant teamwork," Councilwoman Reynolds Brown said. "We are 16 individual members, but collectively we share one goal — to provide students with the fundamental right to education."

The state legislature authorized extending the 1 percent sales tax, provided that the first $120 million in annual revenue be directed to the school district

It is expected that local sales tax revenue will cover most of the $30 million.

Additional funds will be used to collect the $96 million that the district needs to maintain the current level of resources in schools. For the remaining $40 million, the council expects Harrisburg to approve a $2 cigarette tax, which has yet to be seen.

"The council did its part. We need to focus our energy on the governor and state officials to comply with the constitutional obligation to provide funding for public education," Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez said.