Re: School Budget Cuts

September 9, 2020 

 

Dear Ashley,

 

Thanks for your note regarding the very serious education cuts underway. I hear you  - and will do all I can to help fight for some restoration while advocating for some revenue raisers as well. It is "education devastation" and as a former Albany School parent - I know how painful these cuts will be.  Both of my children went to the Albany schools and my youngest graduated just three years ago, so this truly hits home.

 

I also agree we must not allow cuts to disproportionately fall on the shoulders of high-needs districts, and I feel strongly that all families should be given a hybrid option or choice - virtual learning only is not adequate or sufficient. Charter schools should not be exempt from any cut facing public school districts.  We have been assured that the charter schools would not be exempted - and are awaiting written confirmation.   

 

While New York State faces a $14 billion shortfall and does not have the fiscal resources to address or weather this unprecedented crisis,  I continue to strongly and repeatedly advocate for a federal stimulus package to provide us the relief needed for education, healthcare, housing, and state and local government to continue to provide essential services. In the absence of federal action and to protect New York's public schools; we also need commonsense revenue-raising proposals – rather than austerity measures. In the Assembly, I co-sponsor a host of revenue raisers, including:

 

A.4540: Pied-A-Terre Tax

A.10364: Ultra-Millionaires Tax

A.7791: Stock Transfer Tax

A.9748: Stock Buyback Tax

A.9053: Yachts & Jets Tax

 

I will continue to advocate for a resolution here and continue to work with colleagues in the Senate and Assembly to ensure that this urgent issue is addressed right away. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.  

 

Stay healthy,

Pat

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From: "Ashley Chapple" <achapple12.luvsbball12@blogger.com>
To: "fahyp" <fahyp@nyassembly.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, September 8, 2020 8:58:20 PM
Subject: School Budget Cuts

Patricia Fahy, The New York State budget office is withholding 20 percent of the State's payments to school districts. Statewide, a 20 percent loss in school aid means that New York's schools are missing out on more than $5 billion in state aid. These cuts will hurt Black, Brown, and low income schoolchildren the most! I am writing to urge you and your colleagues in the State legislature to take immediate action to protect students and their future. Use the state's rainy day to prevent these catastrophic cuts to our schools. And pass S7378/ A10363 to raise revenue for our schools by raising taxes on the ultra rich. New York's students can't wait: we must prioritize children and their future by protecting our public schools. Ashley Chapple achapple12.luvsbball12@blogger.com 5 Austain Ave Albany, New York 12205

Thanks for writing a letter!

Ashley, Thanks for writing a letter. Now, can you spread the word to keep up our momentum? Click here to share this letter campaign on Facebook. Click here to share this letter campaign on Twitter. Or you can send your friends this link: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/take-action-to-stop-cuomos-school-cuts-2?source=direct_link& Or copy and paste the email below. Thanks! Alliance for Quality Education, AQENY.org Copy and paste this email to friends to spread the word: Subject: Send a letter: Stop Cuomo's 20 percent cuts to public schools Body: Friend, I wrote a letter for the Action Network letter campaign: Stop Cuomo's 20 percent cuts to public schools. Governor Cuomo has chosen to hold state education aid hostage in a political game of chicken with Congress, and New York's students are the ones paying the price. Last week the New York State budget office informed school districts statewide that it was temporarily withholding 20 percent of the State's payments. Statewide, New York's schools are missing out on $5 billion in state aid. For New York State to intentionally hold back 20 percent of state funding for public education at any time is unconscionable; to do so now, weeks before schools are set to reopen amidst a pandemic, is a direct attack on the safety of students, educators and our communities. Email your State Senator and Assemblymember now! The New York State legislature must return to Albany to pass legislation to raise revenue to protect our schools from this catastrophic loss of school aid as they prepare to reopen. There is no longer a hypothetical: the State's withholding of school aid is forcing Rochester City School District — which has one of the highest child poverty rates in the nation — to cut $128 million from its budget. Districts across the state are now facing the same impossible calculations, at a time when they were already struggling to find the resources to meet students' needs through a combination of remote, in-person and blended learning.   The legislature has handed over unprecedented power to Governor Cuomo, relinquishing their responsibility to the communities they represent. But it's time for the New York State Assembly and Senate to get back to Albany and pass legislation to raise revenue to protect our schools. Send your State Senator and Assemblymember an email now telling them that New York's students can't wait: we must prioritize children and their future by protecting our public schools. Can you join me and write a letter? Click here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/take-action-to-stop-cuomos-school-cuts-2?source=email& Thanks! Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from our action notification system, please click here.