The final day: Help us get Foundation Aid over the finish line!

Hi Ashley, This is it: we have just a few hours left until the state budget deadline. From what we’re hearing from Albany right now, there is a possibility that we will finally see a three year phase-in of Foundation Aid, and an expansion of pre-K. If that plan becomes a reality, it would make this the best budget we've seen for public education in over a decade. But it isn’t over until it’s over! We can’t let up the pressure at the final stretch. We know that Governor Cuomo is still fighting against funding our public schools. He does not want to enact meaningful revenue that we would need to make sure our schools have the funding they need in the years to come. We need to keep up the pressure so the legislature continues to hold the line and stand up to the Governor. We need to make sure that our legislative leaders continue to fight to raise $7 billion in revenues and fully fund Foundation Aid for our schools. So much is at stake for our schools and communities in these final hours of negotiations. Take action now (see below) and join us on Zoom at 4pm today to get the latest update and take action to keep up the pressure! TOOLKIT: THE FINAL DAY ACTION 1: Join our emergency action tonight! Over the past 3 months we have had a dedicated team join us on Wednesday evenings for a text bank, contacting constituents to call their State Legislators and urge them to fight for our public schools in the State budget. Together, we've generated hundreds of thousands of texts and phone calls.   Join us for one last emergency response action during the final hours of state budget negotiations: TONIGHT, Wednesday, March 31 at 4 PM. We will provide updates about the news we are hearing from the Capitol on education, and collectively push to ensure we keep up the pressure in the final stretch!   Zoom information will be emailed to registrants prior to the event. REGISTER NOW ACTION 2: Email the main budget negotiators Email Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie — the three negotiators and decision makers in the final budget — now urging them to pass an enacted budget that includes not a penny less for students than what they included in their budget proposals, and raises $7 billion in revenue. SEND A LETTER ACTION 3: Tweet at State leaders Use the sample tweets and graphics below to tweet at Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. If you don't have Twitter, you can use the below sample content to post a comment on their Facebook or Instagram pages, too. DOWNLOAD GRAPHICS Sample Tweets   NYers need @AndreaSCousins @CarlHeastie to hold the line and accept #NotAPennyLess for our students and communities when negotiating the NYS budget. We need a just recovery for ALL New Yorkers. #ProtectStudentsNotBillionaires   We are sick of broken promises. As of Nov. 2020 the @NYSEDNews has stated that districts are owed $4 Billion in Foundation Aid. Students need @AndreaSCousins @CarlHeastie @LizKrueger to stay strong and accept #NotAPennyLess for schools!   The stakes for our students have never been higher than they are now. With days left until the NYS budget deadline, students, families, & educators are depending on @AndreaSCousins, @CarlHeastie & @LizKrueger to stand strong in negotiations for our students. #NotAPennyLess   A budget is a moral document. We need @AndreaSCousins, @CarlHeastie & @LizKrueger to show moral leadership &  fight for a final budget that includes #NotAPennyLess than the Senate one house proposal.    The decisions made this week will be the difference between a historic improvement for schools, or disaster. Hold the line in negotiations & vote to impose taxes on the ultra wealthy.  @AndreaSCousins, @CarlHeastie & @LizKrueger, show up for students! #NotAPennyLess   .@NYGovCuomo is standing in the way of Black and Brown students. We need @Carlheastie & @AndreaSCousins to hold the line and fight for full funding of our schools and raise $7B in new revenue. #NotAPennyLess    By adopting the Legislature's plan, @nygovcuomo can use this budget to end arbitrary rules that prevent parents who are looking for work or training for a new job from receiving child care assistance depending on the county they live in. #NoChildCareNoRecovery #SaveNYChildCare #NotAPennyLess   The legislature proposed expanding pre-K across the state. @Carlheastie & @AndreaSCousins to hold the line on pre-K so our youngest NYers are on the part to success.  Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram AQENY.org 518-432-5315 D O N A T E

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