Reaction To School Aid Cuts
by Doug La Rocque
The announcement by the New York State Budget Office that school aid would be cut by up to 20% percent in the coming scholastic year really did not surprise any of the area school districts. Many having already had the foresight to prepare for it. That being said, their superintendents all opined it only adds to their concerns and challenges as they prepare to open schools in a little more than a week.
We have already reported the reaction from the Hoosick Falls School District, but The Eastwick Press reached out to three other districts for their comments as well. Dr. Stephen Young, Superintendent of Schools in Berlin told us, “the Berlin Central School District has budgeted for the 2020-2021 School Year with an understanding that there may be as much as a 20% reduction in State aid in the near future. We took the necessary steps with reductions in certain areas that already reflect the reductions going forward. At this time we are working with our Board of Education, business manager and administrators to determine any other adjustments to be made if necessary. Part of the budgeting process last year included a retirement incentive for the Berlin Teachers Association and CSEA bargaining units. In full cooperation with the Berlin Teachers Association, a two year contract extension was renegotiated, resulting in future cost savings. I want to graciously thank their leadership team and membership in securing this agreement. In addition, over the previous years we look at additional revenue streams, particularly miscellaneous categories and compute this amount on a running 3 to 5 year average. As we move forward this year, we will look at streamlining materials and supplies, contractual items, substitutes, and overtime budget lines to reflect the needs of the District. I am confident at this time that if we do learn from across the board reductions in State Aid, we will be in good shape to weather the proverbial storm. Our approach to budgeting has always been to provide the best possible education for all students while keeping their health and safety a top priority.”
Dr. Angelina Maloney is Superintendent at the Brunswick Central Schools. She tells us “the timing is challenging as well as the nature of the cut in aid. It is my understanding that the cuts include expense based aid we were not planning for. The timing of these cuts is challenging as we try to reopen under very challenging and expensive requirements.”
New Lebanon Superintendent of Schools Leslie Whitcomb had this to say. “We anticipated the possibility of revenue cuts when budgeting for the 20-21 school year. We are placing strict priorities on our spending so that we may continue to support our COVID-related expenditures as well as our academic programs. Our goal is to avoid program and staffing cuts, but additional losses in revenue may require a change in action.”
State Senator Daphne Jordan, whose district includes all four schools, says “I strongly oppose Governor Cuomo’s proposed 20 percent cut in school aid. I voted against the 2020-21 State Budget that granted his Budget Director the authority to make such painful, mid-year cuts. At the time our schools are dealing with COVID-19 and their expenses are higher than ever, the Governor is proposing giving them even less State aid. There needs to be strong bipartisan support in rejecting the administration’s cuts and ensuring that our schools have the resources they need.”
Assemblyman Jake Ashby is also in opposition, telling The Eastwick Press “Governor Cuomo’s proposal to cut school funding by 20% is an unconscionable decision as our school districts across our state prepare for the upcoming first day of classes. More than ever our teachers, faculty and especially our students need the full support of our state to ensure safe and effective learning environments. Our local schools were already struggling prior to the COVID-19 pandemic due to years of increased mandates and underfunding from the State, making this proposal all the more damaging. I have already spoken with many of my Assembly colleagues who are calling, as I am, for our State Legislature to get back to work and convene a special session with the clear objective to protect our local school districts from this dramatic cut in funding.”
A Pending Lawsuit
The cuts by the Governor’s Budget Office may not go unchallenged. At the virtual news conference Tuesday morning, August 25, two democratic lawmakers from Manhattan called upon the governor to reconsider. Senator Robert Jackson saying “ Governor Cuomo must stop playing chicken with the funding of our children’s education. The growing threat of 20% cuts if the federal government continues to stiff our state is throwing New York’s school districts into crisis at the very moment they need to be most focused.”
Michael Rebell, lead attorney in the New Yorkers for Student Educational Rights school funding lawsuit, said during the press conference that it is likely that an injunction would be filed against the State to protect students from devastating cuts.”
Senator Jackson is pushing a bill before both houses of the state legislature, which he contends would raise millions of dollars in revenues for schools with a small tax increase on millionaires and billionaires.