Thank You For Taking Action

Last year, our public schools experienced a $1.3 billion cut in state support and the imposition of a 2% property tax cap. This resulted in the loss of valuable programs and services for kids and the loss of more than 11,000 educators and staff through layoffs and attrition. Over the past three years, more than 30,000 teaching and staff positions have been eliminated.

This year, the Executive Budget proposes the restoration of $805 million in support to public schools. Unfortunately, $250 million is carved out in the form of a competitive grant program enacted as part of last year's state budget.

While the $805 million restoration proposed in the Executive Budget will help our schools build upon their progress, the decision to dedicate $250 million to a competitive program that will only benefit a few select districts is inappropriate and unfair.

We, the undersigned - educators, administrators, staff, parents, students and concerned citizens - ask you, our lawmakers in Albany, to move the $250 million increase from the competitive grant program into general operating aid, increasing support to all public schools. The addition of $250 million in general operating aid will allow all school districts greater flexibility as they work to restore critical programs and/or services for students within the confines of the 2% property tax cap law.

In this environment, it is simply unfair to award scarce resources to a handful of school districts when an overwhelming number of school districts have significant resource needs.

Every dollar in the classroom counts! We strongly urge that you reconsider this approach.