By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – While many departments in city government face spending cuts in Mayor Masiello's proposed 2004-2005 budget, he is proposing to maintain the city's share of school funding at current year levels.
The mayor is allocating $68 million to the city school district, the same as this year. Masiello said that spending consumes nearly half of the revenue the city receives from its property tax levy.
"Our tax levy has gone down. It's generating less money. We have taken those reductions on the city side," Masiello said. "But it's my belief that we need to maintain funding for our Buffalo public schools. Therefore, we will continue to support them at the same rate."
School administrators had been hoping for a slight increase in school funding. The district has laid off hundreds of teachers in recent years and just last week passed a preliminary budget that calls for the elimination of more positions through retirements. But district spokesman Andy Maddigan said administrators realize the city, too, is in dire financial straits. So, he said they're focusing their efforts on lobbying the state for more money.
"Our expectations are that more money will be forthcoming. It won't be from the city. But our focus now is on the state. The governor's budget is being negotiated by state leaders, and we're hopeful those talks will speed up so that we have an indication of how much we'll have to work with next year."
Maddigan said if state leaders can find the money to provide pay raises for state workers, than they should be able to increase funding for struggling urban school districts.
The Common Council will hold a public hearing on the city's share of school funding Monday night at 6:00 at City Hall.