“As the East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD) faces financial ruin with a reported $20 million deficit entering the 2024-2025 academic year, State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa directed the ERCSD Board last week to raise school taxes by an additional 4.38%. Legislation for $20 million in “spin-up” funding has also been introduced, and calls remain ongoing to revise the state aid formula for the district and shift ERCSD’s transportation costs entirely onto the state.

“We must be clear about the cause of this crisis: the consistent defunding of ERCSD, including a decade-plus of defeated annual school budgets that reduced and froze school taxes coupled with the school board repeatedly diverting funds to non-mandated services. This recklessness has led to the district’s abject failure to perform basic operations that have resulted in compromised safety throughout the district, such as the inability and unwillingness to rebuild the crumbling infrastructure or supply clean drinking water for public school students. 

“While I defend the right to vote, oppose replacing voting rights with a state-appointed board and despise intrusive state action, the status quo cannot continue. The state has a responsibility to ensure students have the resources they need to receive a free and appropriate education, particularly when the local district and board have failed repeatedly to do so. While I abhor state-mandated tax increases on a local town, the reality is there is a revenue problem that must be solved. Moreover, it must be solved long-term. There is also no guarantee that the $20 million “spin-up” funding—or more—won’t be needed again in the future, and we cannot throw good money after bad. We need comprehensive reform.

“I may not have all the solutions for ERCSD’s challenges and will continue working with all the stakeholders, including elected officials and community leaders, to formulate answers, but I firmly oppose reallocating taxpayer funds from outside the district to cover non-mandated services within it, nor will I accept any proposal that tolerates the continuation of the district’s mismanagement. I acknowledge that ERCSD must reopen in just one month. Current state intervention, including the work of the commissioner, monitors, Department of Education and Board of Regents, should move forward. 

“If legislative action is required to ensure schools open in September, it must include stringent oversight, explicit guarantees that any additional aid is strictly for state-mandated services and a clear pathway forward to protect all students. The situation in ERCSD remains unacceptable; any action we take must be meaningful, genuinely improving the district’s conditions, safety and ability to provide a quality education—not kicking the can down the road.