A Mount Vernon student tells Governor Hochul like it is!
By Dan Murphy
A rally was recently held in the Mount Vernon school district to oppose State Education Aid cuts proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul in her 2024 budget plan. New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person led the rally with local union leaders, district administration, parents, and elected officials to “call out the harsh effects” of Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed NY State budget.
This is the first year that Hochul has proposed actual cuts in some state funding to local school districts. The executive budget proposes to stop using the current Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is 3.8 percent, and instead begin using a 10-year rolling average of 2.4 percent.
And Foundation Aid, which has been a funding vehicle used to make state education aid more equitable has been reduced for many school districts in Hochul’s plan. About half of Westchester school district will receive an increase in foundation aid and half will receive a reduction of about 5%.
The other way that State Education Aid can be reduced to local school districts is the elimination of the ‘Save Harmless provision’ which guaranteed that local school districts would receive at least the same amount of funding – The Hold Harmless provision was removed for school districts. Hold Harmless ensures that schools receive at least the same amount of state aid as the previous year. As a result, school districts with factors such as declining enrollment are receiving less funding.
The Mount Vernon School District would lose $3 Million in State Aid in Hochul’s budget plan, which is a 3.5% aid cut. To protest the cuts, Dr. K. Veronica Smith, Acting Superintendent; Keith McCall, president of the Mount Vernon Federation of Teachers; Warren Mitchell, Board of Education Trustee; Jamaal Bowman, congressman; Shelley Mayer, state senator; J. Gary Pretlow, assemblyman; Nader J. Sayegh, assemblyman; Michael Benedetto, state representative; Dana Levenberg, assemblyman; Matt Slater, assemblyman; MaryJane C. Shimsky, assemblywoman; Steven Otis, assemblyman; Chris Burdick, assemblyman; and George Latimer, county executive; all spoke and expressed disagreement with the governor’s decision.
“I just want to make it clear that these 2.9 million dollars are pivotal to our school district,” said Dr. Smith. “A budget cut of that size would be a major setback for our students and programs, as we are already in the midst of recovery from past financial struggles.”
“In our schools today, we are providing the social safety net for our communities, “ said Melinda Person, President of New York State United Teachers. “We feed children, we provide mental health services, we support families. We do all of the work to take care of our students so that they get what they need. And the cost of that is part of our education budget. So, when you cut Foundation Aid, you cut our ability to provide basic needs and services to communities.”
About half of the school districts in the state are also facing potential cuts. Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding is also set to expire in September 2024, resulting in less federal funding on top of the state cuts.
“$2.9 million in cuts is not something that you can actually think of with a clear heart and conscience knowing that we are a school district that is in significant fiscal stress,” said Trustee Mitchell. “Those cuts are coming to the people who are actually teaching, serving and protecting our children. You’re talking about our security workers, our food service, our CSEA. And we’re talking about our teachers, who are the true commodity and the true value of our District.”
A reduction of Foundation Aid also disproportionately affects Mount Vernon schools. Building Aid, which is a part of the total state aid package, is calculated based on the median income of households in the county. Mount Vernon has the lowest median income in Westchester County.”
“There is no more important investment than the investments we make in our children,” said Congressman Bowman. “When we invest in education, childcare and pre-K we see tremendous economic outcomes. We see the lowering of costs in our justice system and our healthcare system, and we give our kids the access and the opportunity to realize their full potential.”
“I am urging everyone to write to the Governor’s office and state legislators imploring them to not remove this much needed funding for our District from the state’s budget,” said Dr. Smith. “With your voices added, we can show just how important this funding is for the Mount Vernon City School District. It is truly pivotal for us.”
Hochul has argued that some wealthier school districts do not need any state aid increases, but that poorer school districts should be supported. And the state has no longer has a legal commitment to deliver large increases in state education aid to certain school districts, which were agreed to settle a lawsuit. Combined with Federal COVID funds ending, Hochul is trying to control education aid for the first time in 5 years.
But State legislators from Westchester are ready to fight to restore and even increase state education aid. Led by State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Senate Education Chair Shelley Mayer, their constituents of parents, staff and unions are calling for a restoration of the proposed cuts.
“I continue to be vocal about the necessity of restoring funds owed to our schools in the final New York State budget due April 1st. As Chair of the Senate Education Committee, this is my number one priority in the budget negotiations. Please join my efforts by calling the Governor at 1-518-474-8390 to express your views,” said Sen. Mayer, who called the proposed cuts “devastating” and “absolutely dramatic.”
Look for another New York State budget battle in the month of March leading up to a budget vote in April. Assemblyman Matt Slater also opposes the cuts. “Last year Gov. Hochul sent $1 billion in education funding to the MTA and now is proposing devastating cuts in State aid to public schools across New York State. As a proud graduate from Yorktown High School and a father of two enrolled in public school,” Slater called Hochul’s proposed cuts “reckless”.
Local property tax increases from School Boards and School Districts are the only other funding option. In some cases, voters would be asked to override the 2% tax cap, when school budgets begin to be released next month.
