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Public needs to help school districts lobby state

Posted 1/10/12

To the Editor: I would like to praise our school superintendents, specifically Pat Brady of Potsdam, William Gregory of Canton, Steve Putman of St. Lawrence Central, and BOCES Superintendent Tom …

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Public needs to help school districts lobby state

Posted

To the Editor:

I would like to praise our school superintendents, specifically Pat Brady of Potsdam, William Gregory of Canton, Steve Putman of St. Lawrence Central, and BOCES Superintendent Tom Burns, for their efforts at raising awareness to our elected officials on the inequities of state school aid formulas.

Along with other area superintendents, they have made several trips to Albany to lobby on our behalf and point out how rural districts such as ours are bearing a disproportionate share of the cuts that have been made in education.

But this effort requires help from everyone. Below is a letter that I recently sent to our elected officials -- NY State Senators Patty Ritchie & Joseph Griffo, Assemblywoman Addie Russell, Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, and Governor Cuomo.

I would encourage you to write a letter as well. Feel free to use the letter below as a template.

The senate and assembly address is: Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248. Governor Cuomo’s address is NYS State Capitol Building, Albany, NY 12224

Or, if it’s easier, you can send an e-mail to these elected officials by visiting their websites at: NYS Assembly (http:// assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?sh=search), NYS Senate (http:// www.nysenate.gov/), and NYS Governor (http://www.governor.ny.gov/ contact/GovernorContactForm.php).

Residents of Canton should know that their Gap Elimination Adjustment has been $3,694,447 over the last two years and they have lost 11% of their staff during this same time period. Canton is anticipating a budget gap of $2.7 million in 2012-13 if additional state aid is not provided. The gap for Potsdam is expected to be around $2.1 million if state aid is flat.

Please take the time to contact your representatives. Even though the Governor will be unveiling his budget this month, the legislative process for a final budget will proceed through February and March.

Here is a letter I would recommend sending:

Dear ________:

I am writing to you as a taxpayer of the Potsdam Central School District who is very concerned about the future of public education in our community.

Over the past three years, with frozen Foundation Aid and one of the highest per pupil Gap Elimination Adjustments in New York, our district has lost $4,489,278 in state funding and about 15% of our staff.

While we have been willing to do our part during this fiscal crisis, we cannot endure continued inequitable cuts to school aid and provide the quality education our students require and deserve. We urgently need your help.

While we appreciate your support for the change in the tax code, which will assist in raising much needed revenues for our schools, this measure will not be enough to stave off an education crisis in districts like Potsdam.

The loss of federal jobs money, potential minimal increases in state aid, a continued depletion of reserves, hikes in operating costs, and a new tax cap all face us in 2012-13.

Without your assistance, the fiscal distress caused by these factors could lead our proud district to the brink of financial ruin.

As a representative of one of the most rural regions of the state, I know you recognize that our communities rely heavily on state aid to sustain schools and provide a quality education for our students.

We simply do not have the ability to raise revenue like wealthier communities who can more readily fill funding gaps and in many cases add staff and programs in this economy.

Indeed, it is patently unfair for some school districts in the state to not feel this crisis while others are left to experience the desperation of how long the doors will remain open.

Under such conditions, our graduates will be placed at a major disadvantage when competing with those from other regions. Should they be punished because they live in the North Country?

Your past support for education is greatly appreciated, but we need your help now more than ever. Please advocate for a change in the school aid funding formula so rural schools like Potsdam receive what they need to survive. We also urge you to support true mandate relief to relieve the operating costs that constrain our budgets. At a time when schools are in the midst of a historic educational reform movement with pressure for greater achievement and accountability, we need more not less support from Albany.

Thank you for considering the state of our school and our needs to move forward. We recognize these are difficult times, but working together we can build a better future for our students and community.

Tom French

Potsdam