Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Please print this post, sign it, and send it (See addresses in comments)

FINANCIAL CRISIS
AMONG NEW YORK SCHOOL DISTRICTS
A FORUM ATTENDED BY CONCERNED CITIZENS
Thursday, February 9th, 2012, Unatego High School, Otego NY (13825-2193)

As a tax-paying citizen in a school district in upstate New York, the following issues concern me:

•The state’s “Gap Elimination Adjustment”. It created a gap in our school district budget, which cannot be offset by raising taxes or firing teachers.

•The governor’s proposed budget. Not all of the $805 million increase for 2012-13 is available for equitable distribution. $250 million is allotted for competitive grants, which poorer rural districts will likely not receive.

•The upcoming loss of federal aid. Federal aid over the last two years has saved us from program cuts. That aid will not be renewed.

•The possibility of cutting non-mandated programs including kindergarten, sports, occupational education, AP courses, and cafeteria services. The gap created by the Gap Elimination Adjustment will force Unatego and other districts to cut any or all of these.

•THE POSSIBILITY OF CLOSING A SCHOOL BUILDING OR A SCHOOL DISTRICT. The loss of a school building will undermine communities, and if school districts have to shut their doors, that will affect quality of life of ALL CITIZENS OF NEW YORK STATE.

I, __________________________________ state that the above
(print name, town, and zip code)
issues deeply concern me, and that I plea to your action and leadership to advocate for a more equitable funding formula for state aid to my school district and the removal of the Gap Elimination Adjustment.

Respectfully submitted, __________________________
(sign name)

8 comments:

  1. Even better than printing, signing, and sending one is printing, signing, and sending a few:

    Senator James L. Seward
    41 South Main Street
    Oneonta NY 13820

    Assemblyman William Magee
    LOB 641
    Albany, NY 12248

    The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
    Governor of New York State
    NYS State Capitol Building
    Albany NY 12224

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. Awesome, awesome, and awesome.

      BTW, I like that you are keeping the Oxford comma. I have tried dropping it, as the style books now prescribe, and I hate it.

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  3. I am Catholic about the Oxford comma. You cannot shake my faith.

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  4. I will send these out tomorrow.

    I too believe in the Oxford comma.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hooray for speaking up for schools - and hooray for the Oxford comma!

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    2. English Teacher ChicFebruary 9, 2012 at 7:37 PM

      The Oxford comma lives on! I will send these out tomorrow as well.

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    3. See, this is why we need to keep our schools strong. So that our children, too, can learn to love the Oxford comma.

      BTW, I was at Unatego HS tonight, where they collected more than 600 signed flyers in the auditorium! They were presented to state senator James Seward to dump on the governor's desk.

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