SENATE BUDGET RESOLUTION SELLS OUT SSFC's CHILDREN
Senate Proposal Chooses Big Bucks for NYC Pre-K at Expense of Meaningful GEA Cuts that are Killing Our Schools!
Senate Also Sides with Charter Schools Over Public Education!
Where are the Senators that Represent SSFC's 420 School Districts?
Yesterday the Senate released a devastating state budget resolution for public school districts.
Many of the Senators that represent SSFC member school districts (see list at end of this message of Senators that voted against this proposal) voted in favor of this measure that provides Pre-K and After School Programming for NYC, tax rebates to the wealthiest NYS communities and residents, and significant financial commitments to charter schools - rather than support your reasoned and urgent request to end the Gap Elimination Adjustment deductions that have been crippling our schools for the past four years.
In fact, many of OUR SENATORS who have been telling us that they fully supported significant GEA reform, chose to vote on this politically contrived measure rather than keep their word to you and the other people they are supposed to represent.
This is not only wrong, but disrespectful to you and the others in your community who will now be assured of larger class sizes, diminished programming, less staff support for struggling students and further disintegration of educational opportunities for your children.
Will you accept this disrespect? Or will you at least go down swinging?
If you decide to take a stand, you must get busy - now!
Here's what you can do. HERE'S WHAT YOU MUST DO!
First - Call your State Senator (dial 1-877-255-9487 & Press 2 518-455-2800 and ask to be connected with your Senator's office) and tell them:
- You STRONGLY OPPOSE the Senate's State Budget education proposal
- That the $540 million dollars directed to NYC Pre-K should instead gone to GEA reform because it benefits all schools in NYS rather than just this in NYC
- That NYC is not the only area of NYS that has poverty and educational needs
- And that you expect them to first represent the needs of their own constituents
Second - Email or Write/FAX your Senator (contact information for your Senator can be found at http://www.nysenate.gov/senators)
Click Here for Sample Letter You Can Use or Edit to Fit your Own Message
NEXT - Forward this message to your friends, neighbors and other education supporters and stakeholders. We need to get as many voices as possible into this effort.
IMPORTANT Here is a List of Senators that Voted AGAINST this Proposal:
If your district is represented by one of the following Senators, please call and thank them for voting against the Senate budget plan. In some cases this was a difficult vote because of other items for their communities that were included in the Senate budget:
- Neil Breslin (part of Albany County)
- Terry Gipson (parts of Dutchess and Putnam Counties)
- Tim Kennedy (part of Erie County)
- George Latimer (part of Westchester County)
- Ted O'Brien (part of Monroe County)
- Andrea Stewart Cousins (part of Westchester County)
- Cecilia Tkaczyk (pronounced "ka-chick") (Greene and Montgomery Counties and parts of Albany, Schenectady, and Ulster Counties)
All other Senators outside of New York City voted in favor of the inadequate Senate plan!
Your outreach cannot wait! State Budget Negotiations are happening now! You AND YOUR STAKEHOLDERS MUST contact your Senators today and again and again over the next few days.
Remember - "It ain't over till it's over."
