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Legislative Alert
Vol. XIV, No. 6
TO: New York
State Association of Small City School Districts
FROM:
Robert Biggerstaff, Esq.
DATE:
April 3, 2000
RE: STATE
BUDGET 2000-2001 (EDUCATION)
________________________________________________________________________
While the
stalemate in Budget negotiations continues, there appears to be
substantial consensus between the Governor and the Assembly on
overall parameters and between the Senate and Assembly on major
education issues of particular concern to Small City School
Districts. Both Houses support the continued freeze in Special
Aid to Small City School Districts (Hurd Aid), both Houses
support substantial new dollars in Operating Aid and both Houses
support changes to the transition aid cap.
The Assembly
supports outright elimination of the cap while the Senate
proposes raising the cap. Either would improve aid distribution
equity and help poorer districts.
On the
issue of budget caps and austerity budget caps, both Houses
oppose the former, but only the Assembly has indicated support
for reform of the austerity cap.
With continuing
resolutions to be passed permitting the payment of State workers
next week, it is inevitable that Budget negotiations will
continue for some time. The next deadline may be either April 16th,
when the continuing resolutions expire, or the week after (Easter
week).
Enclosed
find memos in support of transition cap
reform, austerity cap reform and the Hurd
Aid freeze, which you might wish to share with your
Legislators.
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