STATE OF NEW YORK

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF ALBANY

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________

NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF SMALL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, Inc., and THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION OF THE ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, EDWARD BROWN, SUSAN KUSHNER, WILLIAM BARNETTE, PATRICIA FAHY, TENEKA FROST, BARBARA GAFFURI, OF THE BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, DEBORAH SHEERS, WILLIAM ZOPF, ALYSON CHUGERMAN, CYNTHIA GRIFFIN, CARLA PETTOROSSI, DONNA PINEIRO, MICHAEL RIEHL, MARK SEEGLER, MARY-BETH STEPHENS, OF THE BINGHAMTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, BRIAN WHALEN, JOAN PURTELL, SANDRA HAINING, MAURA KAMMERMAN, DAVID HAWLEY, MICHAEL O’CONNELL, PATRICIA SCHWARTZ, OF THE COHOES CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHRISTOPHER BRIGGS, JEFF BRADT, PATRICK BUTLER, ANNE MARIE HUME, WALTER KOLAKOWSKI, STEVE LACKMANN, V. MARK PASCALE, OF THE CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WILLIAM E. CARLSON, JUDITH DWYER, REBECCA W., BAKER, NEIL F. BULKLEY, KIM L. CLARK, PATRICK H. FLYNN, NANCY MCLAUGHLIN, MARK D. VAUGHN, DALE R. WEXELL, OF THE DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT,  NANCY RENCKENS, ROSE M. FLORAMO, KENNETH KOZLOWSKI, THOMAS BORIS, RONALD HALL, TOMMY ROQUE, GREGORY SEK, OF THE GLENS FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, JANE R. REID, ANNE B. HERLIHY, TODD R. FEIGENBAUM, JEFFREY S. GOHN, KRISTINE HATCH, SANDRA HUTCHINSON, BARBARA G. KROGMANN, WILLIAM P. MASON, DEVIN R. SPENCER, OF THE JAMESTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, JOSEPH PAWELSKI, TIMOTHY THOMAS, JOSEPH DIMAIO, LARUEL LUCAS, DEANN NELSON, THOMAS POPE, CHRISTINE SCHNARS, OF THE KINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, DANIEL GARTENSTEIN, CHRISTOPHER FARRELL, MARUEEN BOWERS, A.L. COSTON, SR., DAVID FLETCHER, KATHY GERMAIN, IAN HOROWITZ, CLAYTON VANKLEECK, MARC TACK, GERARD M.  RETZINGER, CAMILLE ELLSWORTH, OF THE MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, VINCENT CRESCENZO, SUSAN BOTTI, WILLIAM A. BEST, EDWIN ESTRADA, WILLIAM GEIGER, LINDA KNAPP, LYNNE PERKINS, JOHN A. PERRINO, ROSE TOBIASSEN, OF THE MT.VERNON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, DONNA SCOTT, KATHY SHERMAN, MARGIE BENNETT, SAMUEL R. LAUDEMAN, JR., HARLES WAUGH, OF THE NEWBURGH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, RUNSTON T. LEWIS, RALPH A. PIZZO, GRACE BOWLES, THOMAS J. FITZGERALD, DAWN FUCHECK, EDWARD POPPITI, DAVID J. REIN, PAMELA R. RESCH, THOMAS C. WOODHULL, OF THE NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, RUSSELL PETROZZI, ROBERT KAZEANGIN, JR., CHRISTOPHER BROWN, KEVIN DOBBS, DON J. KING, CARMELETTE ROTELLA, JEANETTE STYPA, NICHOLAS VILARDO, MARK ZITO, OF THE NORTH TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, ARTHUR PAPPAS, SCOTT SCHULTZ, ROBERT ARBEITER, NANCY DONOVAN, MICHAEL HARMS, DENNIS PASIAK, DEBORAH WASIECZKO, OF THE POUGHKEEPSIE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, STANLEY F. MERRITT, CAROL A. BOGLE, GREGORY S. CHARTER, THOMAS L. JEFFERSON, ELLEN W. STAINO, OF THE SALAMANCA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THOMAS HART, CANDACE COOPER, ROBERT CRANDALL, AARON MINNER, ANN O’BRIEN, PATRICK WELCH, RALPH RIGGS, OF THE SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, JEFF JANISZEWSKI, WARREN R. SNYDER, LINDA BELLICK, JAMES CASINO, JOHN MITCHELL, CHAUNCEY WILLIAMS, LISA RUSSO, and OF THE TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, GARY WATERHOUSE, DANIEL CALABRESE, RICHARD CATLIN, JOYCE HOGENKAMP, THOMAS BALK, MARK FLINT, JAMES WEBER,  in their official, individual and citizen-taxpayer capacities, and AYUBE HUSSEIN, JABIR HUSSEIN, JEFFERY F. HORNE, NICHOLAS L. HORNE, MARY FRANCIS MAISTO,  STEVEN MAISTO, ELIZABETH STOCUM, KATELYN ELIZABETH STOCUM, JAMES ROBERT STOCUM, MARK PANEBIANCO, JENNIFER PANEBIANCO, ZACHARY PANEBIANCO, TOM POPE, TAMSIN POPE, BRANDON POPE, CHRISTOPHER POPE, MARISA POPE, GRACE JOHNSON, GREGORY JOHNSON, ABIGAIL JOHNSON, MARIA PETERSON, DAVID PETERSON, LINDSEY PETERSON, LORI COBB, LOU COBB,FLETCHER COBB-SEK, ED POPPITI, EDWARD POPPITI, DAWN FUCHECK, RYAN FUCHECK, ALEXI FUCHECK, BRETT FUCHECK, PAMELA R. RESCH, DARRI T. RESCH, COLLIN N. RESCH, ROBIN JOHNSON, JAMIE JOHNSON, SAMANTHA JOHNSON, LINDSAY JOHNSON, ALYSON CHEYERMA, HAYLEE CHEYERMA, AUBREY CHEYERMA, WILLIAM P. ZOPF, JACQUELINE ZOPF, REBECCA ZOPF, LARRY D. COHEN, SARAH REBECCA COHEN, MARY MELLISA COHEN, DEBORAH M. SHEERS, MARY JO BOUDINOT, DONNA PINEIRO, NOEL PINEIRO, LIAM PINEIRO, CYNTHIA GRIFFIN, JAMIR GRIFFIN, JULIE K. RODRIGUEZ,DOMINICK RODRIGUEZ, NICHOLE RODRIGUEZ, BARBARA RACHELL, BRADLEY RACHELL, ALMETRA MURDOCK, ANGEL MURDOCK, ARIEL MURDOCK, SHARON CURRIE, VANEISHA CURRIE, LAMAR CURRIE, ANTON CURRIE, JAEKWON MYERS,  LEONA M. FREE, OMANI FREE, TAMARA GEZMAN, ZSA ZSA HOLMES, RAYSHON HOLMES, KRISTLA HOLMES, DONTA HOLMES, MAURICE WALTER, JZAMAINO MORRIS, TANISHA JACKSON, IVAN JACKSON, ANAYA JACKSON, JAYLEN JACKSON, TONIA PARKER, BEVERLY WEBLEY, BEVON WEBLEY, TANTANEYAS OWENS, ELIZABETH ROBINSON, STARDAYSHA ROBINSON, OBIE ROBINSON, NELLIE STEWART, TYRON STEWART, DAAWADA STEWART, DAYTON STEWART, in their official, individual, parent and citizen-taxpayer capacities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRE-CALENDAR
STATEMENT 

RJI No. 01-05-081545
Index No. 1711-05

Date of Commencement: March 18, 2005

Plaintiffs, 

 

 

-against-

 

 

STATE OF NEW YORK, GEORGE E. PATAKI, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, and ANDREW S. ERISTOFF, COMMISSONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Defendants

_____________________________________________________

 

 

 

Parties: The parties to the original Complaint were members of the school boards of eighteen small city school districts and the New York Association of Small City School Districts, Inc. as plaintiffs and the State of New York as defendant. The Amended Complaint added parents and students from four of the eighteen small city school districts as plaintiffs and George E. Pataki, Governor, and Andrew S. Eristoff, Commissioner of the Department of Taxation and Finance, as defendants, the full names of each are as shown in the caption above and in the chart below. 

 

Parties Involved:

Party Name Original Complaint

Party Name/Additional Parties Amended Complaint

Original Status

Appellate Status

NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF SMALL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS Inc.,

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE ALBANY CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE BINGHAMTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE COHOES CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CORNING CITY DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT                                            

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE GLENS FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE JAMESTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE KINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE MT.VERNON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE NEWBURGH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE NORTH TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE SALAMANCA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT,

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE OF NEW YORK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 EDWARD BROWN

SUSAN KUSHNER

WILLIAM BARNETTE

PATRICIA FAHY

TENEKA FROST

BARBARA GAFFURI

DEBORAH SHEERS

WILLIAM ZOPF

ALYSON CHUGERMAN

CYNTHIAGRIFFIN

CARLA PETTOROSSI

DONNA PINEIRO

MICHAEL RIEHL

MARK SEEGLER

MARY-BETH STEPHENS,

BRIAN WHALEN,

JOAN PURTELL

SANDRA HAINING

MAURA KAMMERMAN

DAVID HAWLEY

MICHAEL O’CONNELL

PATRICIA SCHWARTZ

CHRISTOPHER BRIGGS

JEFF BRADT

PATRICK BUTLER

ANNE MARIE HUME

WALTER KOLAKOWSKI

STEVE LACKMANN

V. MARK PASCALE

WILLIAM E. CARLSON

JUDITH DWYER

REBECCA W. BAKER

NEIL F. BULKLEY

KIM L. CLARK

PATRICK H. FLYNN

NANCY MCLAUGHLIN

MARK D. VAUGHN

DALE R.WEXELL

NANCY RENCKENS

ROSE M. FLORAMO

KENNETH KOZLOWSKI

THOMAS BORIS

RONALD HALL

TOMMY ROQUE

GREGORY SEK

JANE R. REID

ANNE B. HERLIHY,

TODD R. FEIGENBAUM

JEFFREY S. GOHN

KRISTINE HATCH

SANDRA HUTCHINSON

BARBARA G. KROGMANN

WILLIAM P. MASON

DEVIN R. SPENCER

JOSEPH PAWELSKI

TIMOTHY THOMAS

JOSEPH DIMAIO

LARUEL LUCAS

DEANN NELSON

THOMAS POPE

CHRISTINE SCHNARS

DANIEL GARTENSTEIN

CHRISTOPHER FARRELL

MARUEEN BOWERS

A.L. COSTON, SR.

DAVID FLETCHER

KATHY GERMAIN

IAN HOROWITZ

CLAYTON VANKLEECK

MARC TACK

GERARD M. GRETZINGER

CAMILLE ELLSWORTH

VINCENT CRESCENZO

SUSAN BOTTI

WILLIAM A. BEST

EDWIN ESTRADA

WILLIAM GEIGER

LINDA KNAPP

LYNNE PERKINS

JOHN A. PERRINO

ROSE TOBIASSEN

DONNA SCOTT

KATHY SHERMAN

MARGIE BENNETT

SAMUEL R. LAUDEMAN, JR.

CHARLES WAUGH RUNSTON T. LEWIS

RALPH A. PIZZO

GRACE BOWLES

THOMAS J. FITZGERALD

DAWN FUCHECK

EDWARD POPPITI

DAVID J. REIN

PAMELA R. RESCH

THOMAS C. WOODHULL

RUSSELL PETROZZI

ROBERT KAZEANGIN, JR.

CHRISTOPHER BROWN

KEVIN DOBBS

DON J. KING

CARMELETTE ROTELLA

JEANETTE STYPA

NICHOLAS VILARDO

MARK ZITO

ARTHUR PAPPAS

SCOTT SCHULTZ

ROBERT ARBEITER

NANCY DONOVAN

MICHAEL HARMS

DENNIS PASIAK

DEBORAH WASIECZKO

STANLEY F. MERRITT

CAROL A. BOGLE

GREGORY S. CHARTER

THOMAS L. JEFFERSON

ELLEN W. STAINO

THOMAS HART

CANDACE COOPER

ROBERT CRANDALL

AARON MINNER

ANN O’BRIEN

PATRICK WELCH

RALPH RIGGS

JEFF JANISZEWSKI

WARREN R. SNYDER

LINDA BELLICK

JAMES CASINO

JOHN MITCHELL

CHAUNCEY WILLIAMS

LISA RUSSO

GARY WATERHOUSE

DANIEL CALABRESE

RICHARD CATLIN

JOYCE HOGENKAMP

THOMAS BALK

MARK FLINT

JAMES WEBER

AYUBE HUSSEIN

JABIR HUSSEIN

JEFFERY F. HORNE

NICHOLAS L. HORNE

MARY FRANCIS MAISTO

STEVEN MAISTO

ELIZABETH STOCUM

KATELYN ELIZABETH STOCUM

JAMES ROBERT STOCUM

MARK PANEBIANCO

JENNIFER PANEBIANCO

ZACHARY PANEBIANCO

TOM POPE

TAMSIN POPE

BRANDON POPE

CHRISTOPHER POPE

MARISA POPE

GRACE JOHNSON

GREGORY JOHNSON

ABIGAIL JOHNSON

MARIA PETERSON

DAVID PETERSON

LINDSEY PETERSON

LORI COBB

LOU COBB

FLETCHER COBB-SEK

ED POPPITI

EDWARD POPPITI

DAWN FUCHECK

RYAN FUCHECK

ALEXI FUCHECK

BRETT FUCHECK

PAMELA R. RESCH

DARRI T. RESCH

COLLIN N. RESCH

ROBIN JOHNSON

JAMIE JOHNSON

SAMANTHA JOHNSON

LINDSAY JOHNSON

ALYSON CHEYERMA

HAYLEE CHEYERMA

AUBREY CHEYERMA

WILLIAM P. ZOPF

JACQUELINE ZOPF

REBECCA ZOPF

LARRY D. COHEN

SARAH REBECCA COHEN

MARY MELLISA COHEN

DEBORAH M. SHEERS

MARY JO BOUDINOT

DONNA PINEIRO

NOEL PINEIRO

LIAM PINEIRO

CYNTHIA GRIFFIN

JAMIR GRIFFIN

JULIE K. RODRIGUEZ

DOMINICK RODRIGUEZ

NICHOLE RODRIGUEZ

BARBARA RACHELL

BRADLEY RACHELL

ALMETRA MURDOCK

ANGEL MURDOCK

ARIEL MURDOCK

SHARON CURRIE

VANEISHA CURRIE

LAMAR CURRIE

ANTON CURRIE

JAEKWON MYERS

LEONA M. FREE

OMANI FREE

TAMARA GEZMAN

ZSA ZSA HOLMES

RAYSHON HOLMES

KRISTLA HOLMES

DONTA HOLMES

MAURICE WALTER

JZAMAINO MORRIS

TANISHA JACKSON

IVAN JACKSON

ANAYA JACKSON

JAYLEN JACKSON

TONIA PARKER

BEVERLY WEBLEY

BEVON WEBLEY

TANTANEYAS OWENS

ELIZABETH ROBINSON

STARDAYSHA ROBINSON

OBIE ROBINSON

NELLIE STEWART

TYRON STEWART

DAAWADA STEWART

DAYTON STEWART

 

 

 

 

 

GEORGE E. PATAKI, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

ANDREW S. ERISTOFF, COMMISSONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Plaintiff

 

  

Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

  

Plaintiff

 

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 

Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

  

Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 

Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 Plaintiff

 

 

 

Plaintiff

 

 Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

Plaintiff

 

Defendant

 

 Defendant

 
Defendant

Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

  

Appellant

 

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 

Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

Appellant

 

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 Appellant

 

 

 

 Appellant

 

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

Appellant

 

Respondent

 

 Respondent

 
Respondent

 


Counsel for Appellants:
Robert E. Biggerstaff, Esq.
Main Square, 318 Delaware Avenue
Delmar, New York 12054
518- 475-9500
518-475-7677 (fax)

Glen P. Doherty, Esq.
75 State Street, P.O. Box 459
Albany, New York 12201-0459
518-447-3200
518-426-4260(fax)

Laura K. Biggerstaff, Esq.
Main Square, 318 Delaware Avenue
Delmar, New York 12054
518-475-9500
518-475-7677(fax)

Counsel for Respondents:
Richard Lombardo, Esq.
Litigation Bureau
Office of the Attorney General
Capitol
Albany, New York 12224
518-473-2275
518-474-7172 (fax)

Court, Judge and County: This appeal is taken from a Decision and Order dated June 6, 2006 of the Hon. Thomas J. McNamara, Acting Supreme Court Judge, Albany County, in the above entitled case, RJI No. 01-05-081545 and Index No. 1711-05.


Nature and Object of Action or Proceeding: The underlying action seeks a judgement declaring the State’s system of funding education for Appellant Small City School Districts and for similar school districts to be in violation of Article XI, section 1, of the NYS Constitution, by its failure to provide the financial resources necessary for a sound basic education. It seeks a judgement enjoining the defendants to create and maintain a system of funding sufficient to provide an opportunity to students in such districts to receive a sound basic education.


Appellate Issues: This appeal seeks a reversal of the Decision and Order granting the State’s Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint. The decision found that the Amended Complaint did not state a cause of action by virtue of its failure to assert district wide educational deficits for each of the eighteen Appellants’ Districts. It found that the Amended Complaint did not state a cause of action under State Finance Law section 123-b. It found that Appellant Association did not have capacity to sue. We believe that the decision and order are based upon a misreading of the Amended Complaint and a misapplication of relevant case law, and we are seeking its reversal and a reinstatement of the Amended Complaint.


Other Related Matters: There is a related case pending before Judge McNamara, Utica City School District v. State of New York, et al.. This case is venued in Albany County. Utica CSD is a small city school district and it is seeking relief similar to that requested in the instant case.

 

Attached hereto:

1. Decision and order of Hon. Thomas J. McNamara dated June 6, 2006 and entered June 22, 2006

2. Notice of Appeal dated July 26, 2006



Submitted by: _________________
Print Name: Robert E. Biggerstaff, Esq.
Attorney for: Appellants
Date: July 26, 2006

 

 

To:       Richard Lombardo, Esq.
            Litigation Bureau
            Office of the Attorney General
            Capitol
            Albany, NY 12224
            518-473-2275