THE NOVEMBER SHOWDOWN – AN ALBANY STALEMATE

Governor Paterson’s plan to cut 1.5 billion dollars from the present state budget was derailed by the Senate Republicans who remain opposed to any mid-year cuts in state education aid. The governor’s proposal would have cut state aid to schools in a range of between 3 percent and 10 percent, depending on a school district’s wealth, concentration of at-risk children and property tax burden.

For the Yorktown School District it would have resulted in a 7.1% reduction of pledged state aid, a loss of $974,000.

Paterson reversed his position when he refused to call a special legislative session on Tuesday, November 18. The Senate Majority Leader said the Senate was ready to vote on the governor’s proposal. Without receiving any support for his proposals or alternative plans from the Legislature, the governor realized that any vote held would result in defeat. Frustrated and angry, the governor railed at what he considered the obstructionists in the Legislature.

The next chance for the governor to put forward his proposals will occur next month. Governor Paterson will present his budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year on December 16. He anticipates that the budget deficit will be 15 billion, given the rapid and severe deterioration of the economy.

In somewhat of a turnabout, the Senate Republican Majority Leader has said he is calling the Senate back on December 15. Responding to the criticism that no legislative plan was offered last week, he announced that a Senate GOP package will be ready that includes “significant spending reductions, recurring savings actions and important initiatives to maximize revenue.” NYSUT expects the Republicans will remain pledged to not include cuts in this year’s school aid.

Even if the stalemated request to cut 800 million dollars is approved, it is anticipated that the Yorktown School District will ride out this storm surge without reducing staff.

However, the financial future of the state’s financial outlook for the 2009-10 budget is dark and threatening. NYSUT will be prepared to take action to insure that a quality public education remains in place. To erode education to the point of depriving children of the education they deserve will be more destructive in the future than the downturn of our economy. The economy’s recovery may be two or more years away, but the impact of a crippled public school system will scar students for many more years, if not a

lifetime.

FIRST THE PROPERTY TAX CAP, NOW AN ASSESSMENT OF SPECIALEDUCATION MANDATES – A SHORT NOTE

From the commission that brought you the proposal for a property tax cap – the New York Commission on Property Tax relief – comes its’ final report on December 1. Special education will be in its’ spotlight, or should it be in its crosshairs. It is anticipated that the commission will recommend that many of New York’s special education laws which go above and beyond federal mandates be eliminated to provide tax relief. NYSUT has urged the commission to continue to support the current mandates.