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'down payment' sought for CFE reforms 
Feb. 25, 2004 Alan Lubin Saying a delay would only hurt progress that children and public schools are making, union leaders urged Gov. Pataki and the Legislature to take significant steps toward providing all children access to a sound, basic education. "The governor has proposed setting aside $325 million in response to the Campaign for Fiscal Equity decision," said Alan Lubin, executive vice president of New York State United Teachers, in testimony to the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees. "This is an acknowledgement of the problem, but nowhere near the solution." The governor proposed the figure in his executive budget last month to answer a July 30 deadline for implementing the Court of Appeals decision. CFE issued a report earlier this month saying school funding must be increased by $7 billion, with a $2 billion "down payment" for the fiscal year that begins April 1. Lubin said legislators must consider all needy schools and districts when devising an equitable funding formula and make a "substantial down payment" this year. "There are school districts where poverty is prevalent and that have similar circumstances to New York City - not enough books; classes that are too large, and a shortage of qualified, certified teachers," he said. Lubin expressed concern over plans to put special ed in a new "flex aid" formula; change transportation aid; and weaken the Regents' rule-making authority. The union is fighting to reverse a proposed $24.4 million cut to BOCES, and restore $67 million in cuts to teacher centers, the mentor internship program and Teacher Support Aid. With the news of a school shooting in East Greenbush fresh in legislators' minds, questions were asked about safe-schools funding. Lubin called the incident a teachable moment. "A teacher was shot because a gun was able to be brought into the school," he said. He called on the legislators to fully fund the Safe Schools Act of 2000 and increase funding for alternative settings. "It's an expensive program but it's cheaper than building more prisons." |
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