RELEASE: Billy Easton Testimony Before Senate and Assembly Committees

January 29, 2013 Legislative & Political Updates

For Immediate Release: January 29, 2013

Contact:
Emily Karol, AQE Communications Associate
emily@aqeny.org, (518) 432-5315 ext. 102

RELEASE

Excerpt from Testimony of Billy Easton, Executive Director Alliance for Quality Education

Joint Senate Finance Committees and Assembly Ways and Means

January 29, 2013

“Make no doubt about it our schools are headed on a downward spiral where every year they will continue to make more and more classroom cuts. Unless, the legislature adds funding to this budget, our schools will have to make more classroom cuts—for the fourth straight year.”

“One of the unique features in this year’s proposed budget is the $203 million in Fiscal Stabilization Funds. The fact that we need Fiscal Stabilization Funds is because our schools have been destabilized by cuts and caps enacted in Albany. The Fiscal Stabilization Funds are unallocated in the Executive Budget. Some would say that all the legislature needs to do is jockey over how these funds are delivered. But if that is all you do, we can tell you definitively right now the $889 million is inadequate to prevent more cuts.”

“Last year our schools received $805 million in additional aid. Despite this funding restoration, schools had to make painful cuts. Our state lost another 5,000 teachers. Class sizes rose yet again and once again instructional cuts were made. Summer school was reduced. Extra help for students was reduced. Honors courses, electives, extracurricular activities and sports were reduced. Unless you add funding over and above the Executive proposal then once again you will be voting for more classroom cuts.”

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