need advice on building core code for python and PHP

[digimotif]

All,
I'm currently working with a small development company on a PHP
application they already have.  There are several processing tasks
that could be scripted in Python and run in the background to modify a
database, instead of the way they have it now, which waits for a
webpage to return from processing.

There is also the possibility of building client gui applications that
work with the database as well, so I'm looking for a way I could
create a code base that enables us to use the same functions and
objects over and over again while building interfaces in Python, or
PHP, or whatever.

Is there a way I could code the base (core) code in Python and have
PHP call it?  I've really liked using SQLAlchemy and there are other
great things like Pylons I could integrate for various tasks, but I
first have to move some functionality out of PHP and into something
more "universal".  What would you recommend?

Any ideas are appreciated.

Brian