We are fortunate to be residents of Upstate New York’s most beautiful regions – the Mohawk Valley and the heart of the North Country, the Adirondack Park. These regions are dotted with proud and wonderful small towns, main streets and rural communities, which have particular needs and challenges different from those found in New York’s biggest cities.
Recently, Gov. Cuomo released his 2013-14 Executive Budget proposal, and while it had some laudable points, like the closure of a $1.3 billion budget deficit without raising taxes on working families and increased economic development efforts upstate, I was struck by the lack of focus on the needs of our small communities. Yes, we need growth and we need opportunities, but I am not convinced that Mr. Cuomo has delivered solutions that cater to the needs of our area.
Upstate New York and communities throughout the state are in need of meaningful unfunded mandate relief. Unfunded mandates are those costly edicts and programs sent to our schools and local governments from Albany, because politicians don’t want to pay the bill. The New York State Association of Counties reported that nine mandates alone consume 90 percent of the property tax levy. These mandates have been, in large part, the reason why local services are cut and why your property taxes have been increasing over the years. Every dollar spent on a mandate is money that could have been invested in developing our communities as we see fit or given back to taxpayers to help ease their burden in this crushing economic slump.
Quite frankly, Gov. Cuomo’s Executive Budget doesn’t do much to offer the relief needed to give our communities the kick start they need. We can and must do better.
To further develop opportunities for those in our communities, we need to do better for our rural, high-need school districts. I firmly believe that an education that prepares our children to compete in the global economy is what will provide new and better opportunities for jobs, business and technology development right here in our own backyards. While Gov. Cuomo’s school aid proposal is better than it has been in the past, our school districts still contend with limited budgets hindered by unfunded mandates, limited sources of income and a school aid formula that fails to deliver what our kids need most – a consistent financial commitment from Albany to improve these high-need, rural schools.
Gov. Cuomo has made a competition out of school aid through his competitive grant program, which naturally favors already excelling and wealthy school districts. Instead, we should invest this money where it’s needed most. There is no need to favor certain students based purely on geography and their community’s economic circumstances. Access to excellent public education is, after all, a ladder by which students and communities can climb out of poverty and into lasting success.
As I further pour over Gov. Cuomo’s budget proposal, I will work to ensure that these issues are reflected in the final adopted budget. We must work swiftly and diligently to ensure that our beautiful communities upstate receive the support and recognition they need to thrive.
As the representative of the new 118th Assembly District, I am eager to continue working with residents in Herkimer and Fulton counties, and I look forward to meeting those in Hamilton County; the towns of Boonville, Deerfield, Lee, Steuben, Trenton and Western in Oneida County; and the towns of Clare, Clifton, Colton, Fine, Parishville, Pierrepont, Madrid, Norfolk and Stockholm in St. Lawrence County. Please e-mail me any time at butlerm@assembly.state.ny.us or call my Herkimer office at (315) 866-1632 or my Johnstown office at (518) 762-6486.