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What the Dickens is happening in Albany? When it comes to school aid in Albany, it is the best of times and the worst of times. It is the best of times in that the first budget of Gov. Elliot Spitzer has allocated millions of dollars more in aid to education than his predecessor ever did in the first budget proposal. It is the worst of times for Long Islanders because the largest portion of that increase is going to New York City and despite a promise from the Governor that every school district across the state would get at least a 3 percent increase, that is not what the numbers at present indicate. Undeniably, New York City schools are in dire straits, unable to provide a decent education to students as required by law. A crumbling infrastructure and plummeting grades seem to have been little impacted by millions of dollars. Now the state, partly due to a court order, is pumping millions more into those schools, leaving less for the rest of the state. All this while the people of New York City pay a fraction of what Long Islanders pay in real property taxes to support their schools. Add to that the fact that in the face of such abject failure, New York City has given not one but two tax cuts in the past five years. That's a disgrace equaled and surpassed only by the state's continued commitment to put even more money into a failing system. We say, let's have the property owners of New York City make a greater financial investment in their schools the way Long Islanders have for decades. Then, we can talk about subsidizing their schools with money from Long Islanders.
Spitzer is entering the final phase of his first budget process and is bound to be torn fore and aft as it continues through April 1 when the final budget is due. Now is the time for Long Islanders to make their feelings known to the Governor and local lawmakers. We won't accept sending more of our local tax money up to Albany only to watch it flow into New York City while New York City contributes less to its schools, year after year.
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