AQE Responds to Governor Hochul’s Budget Address 1

AQE Responds to Governor Hochul’s Budget Address

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 18, 2022) — In response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget announced on Tuesday, the public education advocacy group Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement:

“For the first time, fully funding public schools through the Foundation Aid formula is a part of the executive budget proposal. The $1.6 billion increase in Foundation Aid, and $2.1 billion increase for public schools, will greatly support most school districts in New York. But for New York City, Governor Hochul’s proposal to significantly increase charter school tuition could in effect redirect the lion’s share of the state’s school aid increase away from students at New York City’s public schools, who are the majority of students, to privately run charter schools that educate a fraction of all students,” said Jasmine Gripper, Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education.

“Since 2019, the per pupil charter school tuition increase has been four times greater than the increase that public schools received, even though they only educate 14 percent of students in New York City (just 145,000 out of 1.2 million students). While we applaud Governor Hochul for maintaining her commitment to fully fund the Foundation Aid formula, in order to make sure these investments get to the majority of students in public schools we need the legislature to reject her proposal to increase charter school tuition in New York City. 

“Kathy Hochul positioned herself as a strong champion of child care, but now that she is Governor and has the power to make universal child care a reality for New York, she is backpedaling on her commitment to support children and families. Based on today’s budget presentation, New York State is flush with cash, yet too few dollars are being allocated to increase access and quality child care. New York’s child care infrastructure is in crisis. Families and providers cannot continue to wait for relief. Since March 2020, over 1,500 providers in New York have permanently closed their doors increasing the number of child care deserts. We need New York’s leaders to act with urgency and make childcare a top priority. Senator Brisport and Assemblyman Hevesi’s bill (S. 7595/A. 8623) provides a thoughtful pathway to universal child care in New York by 2025 and should be incorporated into the final enacted budget. An investment of $5 billion is needed to truly make universal child care a reality. 

“New Yorkers do not need another self-proclaimed fiscally conservative Governor who prioritizes tax giveaways to the ultra rich at the expense of much needed investments in children and families. We need a Governor who is good for her promises. We call on the State Legislature to work with the Governor to come up with an enacted budget that meets the urgent needs of New York’s children and families.”