The Governor and the state legislative leaders are pushing towards a budget agreement; however, governors commonly include numerous non budgetary items into the budget. Remarkably, in spite of enormously unresolved consequential issues, at the top of the list to be included in the budget is a “bell to bell” ban on cell phones in school. Shouldn’t parents, teachers and school districts make the decision?
The just passed congressional “continuing resolution” will cut hundreds of billions of dollars from a wide range of federal programs. How will states respond? Highly unlikely that states will simply cut services, we’re talking about Medicaid, Medicare, Transportation and Education plus too many others to list.
At the top of the New York State budget list was the amending the state education aid formula, the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, filed in the 90’s has never been resolved. In the current legislative session specific plans are part of the budget negotiations and are highly contentious Lawmakers say proposed formula changes would shortchange NYC schools – Gothamist, all require additional state budget dollars.
The state budget assumes the same level of federal support for the state budget. You know how we can define “assume.”
Hochul said, “We also have a responsibility to put (Trump) on the spot and say, ‘What are you doing to make sure that your home state of New York is not hurt?’” she added. “But we always can come back and have another session.”
At the moment, Ms. Hochul’s negotiations with the Senate majority leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and the Assembly speaker, Carl Heastie, do not account for the federal cuts.
The three leaders, all Democrats, have said that the cuts being discussed are far too vast for the state to cover. In the fiscal year ending this month, New York received an estimated $96 billion from the federal government, with roughly $57 billion going to the state’s Medicaid program. About $10 billion went to schools, about $4 billion to law enforcement and public safety and $2.5 billion to transportation programs.
Ms. Hochul had based her initial $252 billion state budget proposal for the coming year on the assumption that almost $91 billion would flow from Washington.
On Tuesday, Mr. Heastie echoed Ms. Hochul’s critique of congressional Republicans. “Why would I build a budget on something that I’m not even sure that they could follow through on?” he said.
The House of Cards budget will be passed, on April 1st, or a few days or weeks later, if the feds fail to provide the 91 billion how can the state fill the gaping hole? Higher taxes, (the feds may nix congestion prices ($50M month)) widening the hole or cuts in services, instead of increasing school aid we could see dramatic reductions, my looking glass is cloudy.
The NYC budget is due by the end of June, usually approved by mid-June. This year a June 25th primary with both the current Mayor and the Speaker of the City Council as candidates may lose and continue to serve until the end of the year, the new mayor will not be sworn in until January 1, 2026
A crisis of unequaled proportions with lame duck city leadership and a governor struggling to survive unparalleled low approval ratings.
You would think all the caucuses in the union would come together to fight whatever slings and arrows are coming our way. The charter schools, the voucher and homeschooling, crowd, the enemies of public schools will be on the attack.
Nope, the opposition caucuses propose reopening our contract to demand raises, is it insanity or just plain stupidity, or politely, inexperience.
Days before the opening of the school year in 1975 the City laid off 14,000 teachers and began preparing to declare bankruptcy, the Delegate Assembly voted to strike with cries of “We won’t come back until we all come back.” Bankruptcy meant a federal judge would appoint a receiver with powers to amend or void any contracts. Only hours before the City was planning to file the bankruptcy papers Al Shanker, the UFT President decided to approve the Teacher Retirement System in effect loaning the City money to avert bankruptcy, needless to say not popular. Shanker saved the City and union. (Read a blow-by-blow account of the 1975 fiscal crisis – a great read! The Night New York Saved Itself from Bankruptcy | The New Yorker)
Trump has both raised tariffs and backed away, he has used harsh threats as a negotiating ploy, and perhaps the pending humongous federal cuts are also a ploy or maybe the courts will intervene, so far, the dark cloud is not parting. In 1975 on the edge of bankruptcy,
The teachers’ union was in a bind. Shanker later called it blackmail. If the city went bankrupt, a judge could order thousands of teacher dismissals, undo the raises the teachers had recently negotiated, and override any pension laws, stripping retirees of their pension checks.
We need tough, experienced leadership, we need a united membership, we have to be ready to do whatever we have to do, and the Unity caucus has skillfully led the union through crises over the years.
I’m more than willing to listen to any suggestions, an opposition caucus leader says “preparing to strike” is at the top of their agenda. I can hear the applause from the Trump/Musk clones.
Maybe the clouds will part, or a fiscal tsunami washes over us, we have to be prepared, a opposition caucus that runs a candidate fired for abusing women is truly incredulous.
The ballots will be mailed on May 1st, check the Unity box, our future depends upon who leads the union.
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 