The Governor has proposed changes to Foundation Aid that would not just reduce state aid to school districts on Long Island (44) but to suburban and rural school districts across the state from the Hudson Valley to Western New York to the North Country.

I will not vote for any State Budget that cuts Foundation Aid to a single school district in the State. The State of New York fully funded Foundation Aid for the state’s school districts for the first time with a three-year plan that was completed this past year. That initiative was heralded by educators across the state as a demonstration of our commitment to public education.

The Governor’s proposal reneges on that commitment just one year later. It would violate the compact between the state and local school districts to provide a quality education to every child. The losers would be both the local taxpayer and our children. There must be long term certainty and stability in funding state education. Historic increases cannot now be followed by a substantial cut.

I have already been in contact with many school districts across my Assembly District as well as State legislators across the state. We will be working hard in the coming weeks to reject these cuts and to restore full Foundation Aid funding.