By Eileen Buckley and Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – A commission appointed by Governor Pataki to develop recommendations on how the state can better fund its schools was in Buffalo Thursday for a public hearing. At the same time in Albany, an advocacy group was asking the Governor to make a $2 billion down payment to start improving New York's schools.
The commission is collecting testimony on how the state can better provide basic education for all students. It was created in response to a State Court of Appeals decision in June that found New York City Schools failed to provide basic education.
Among those testifying Thursday, was Sherry Byrnes, representing the Alliance for Quality Education. Byrnes says the state must change its school funding formula. Byrnes says in Buffalo, in order for the state to be allowed to extend the county's eight percent sales tax for another year, sales tax revenues should be included in municipal and school budgets.
"It has taken nearly ten years for me to come to grips for a separate tax and authority for the Buffalo City School district," Byrnes said. "But if such a structure would promote the public's ability to show direct support for its public education system, then it is high time we bring in that authority and subject it to an electoral approval."
John Calvin Davis, with the Kellogg Leadership for Community Change, also testified. Davis says Buffalo Public Schools provided him with all the basics in education. But now he worries the current generation of children won't receive what they need to survive as adults.
"Any funding plan that you adopt or recommend to the Governor or Legislature has to take into account regional cost variations and must provide every school with adequate funds to meet that cost," Davis said.
A commission member one issue they will wrestle with is to make sure funding actually gets to the school children. The Commission will issue recommendations March 1st.
This is the same commission that former Buffalo Bishop Henry Mansell was named to prior to his departure to Hartford. A commission spokesman says they are expected to announce his replacement shortly.
Meanwhile, a group called the Campaign for Fiscal Equity brought the case that eventually led to this year's court ruling against the state's formula for distributing school funding. Thursday, the group's director Michael Rebell said the state will have to provide $2 billion more in education aid in the coming year to comply with the court ruling by a July 30th, 2004 deadline.
"We believe that that means there has to be a substantial funding stream to immediately deal with the priority the Court of Appeals outlined," Rebell said. "They include a lack of quality teaching, large class sizes and facilities problems in New York City. But we also argue they must meet the needs of students throughout New York State."
Rebell said the Campaign for Fiscal Equity is awaiting completion of a study from a consultant on the total amount of money it will take for the state to meet the educational needs of all children. The study will also recommend a new funding model that would see a 36 percent increase in spending on high poverty elementary schools in New York.
Rebell says it's up to Governor Pataki and the state Legislature to figure out how New York will boost school aid in light of continuing budget problems.
"Our position is that students have a short educational life," Rebell said. "You're talking about a major constitutional deprivation here. For example, we think early childhood programs are absolutely critical. If you miss a year or two in providing them, you have affected a child's whole life."
Rebell said it's too soon to say if the Campaign for Fiscal Equity would return to court if the Governor's budget falls short of the group's funding recommendation.
"We have a court order behind us and we expect it to be fulfilled," he said.