| It was an important day around the state yesterday as school budgets were put up for a vote in over 500 school districts.
According to the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), 97.2 percent of New York's 547 public school districts passed their budgets. That figure is based on NYSUT's own estimates and reviews of budgets from across the state.
As of 9 a.m., NYSUT's unofficial count showed voters in 547 school districts passed their budgets. In 16 districts, voters rejected their school boards' plans for how resources will be allocated for students and schools in the 2009-10 school year. The NYSUT count includes about percent of the state's school districts. If the percentages hold as the final counting is completed, the 97.2 percent 'pass rate' would top the record 95.3 percent of budgets passing in 2007.
"Even in these tough economic times, we see that voters recognize the importance of supporting their local schools," said NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi. "By voting 'yes,' New Yorkers are saying they understand that as our economy turns around, students must be ready."
Iannuzzi said that by adopting local budgets, voters are showing confidence in the ability of schools to turn out skilled graduates who "can and should be the mainstays of a strong work force" to fill high-tech jobs created, for example, in GE's new battery research plant in Niskayuna; Advanced Micro Devices' multi-billion-dollar chip plant in Saratoga County; and the new solar project recently announced for Long Island.
Iannuzzi did credit the federal stimulus package and the education funds included in the package as a reason why so many budgets passed.
Iannuzzi said this year's high passage rate is due, in large measure, to the federal stimulus package, which invested some $1.25 billion this year in public schools. The stimulus package enabled the governor and state Legislature to erase proposed state budget cuts and provide a small increase in funding. In addition, Iannuzzi said, many school boards put forward conservative budgets, resulting in the lowest spending and property tax increases in recent memory. Property Tax Report Cards revealed that statewide spending increases averaged 2.35 percent, while property tax levies edged up 1.89 percent.
I find it comforting that so many school budgets passed even with such disdain for government and anti-tax types railing against the state and public institutions. Having 97.2 percent of budgets being passed by voters signals that voters still do have confidence in the education system and believe that making investments in education through their tax dollars is still a worthy investment, no matter how low or high that investment is. |
