Bare bones budget not the end of the fight

Assemblymember Susan John (D-Rochester, Chili, Wheatland) said that the Legislature reluctantly passed the Governor's proposed budget because, "the governor's insistence on a budget plan that cuts education aid and health care, and fails to address the state's troubled economy has created an atmosphere of crisis for schools and uncertainty for New Yorkers."

Today, we put behind us most budget items where we agree on at least a minimum level of funding so that we can turn our attention to our unfinished agenda of strengthening schools, providing quality health care, and overhauling our economy," Assemblymember John said. "The governor's refusal to admit that we have over $4 billion in reserves available to meet New York's needs and still be protected against a severe economic down-turn has forced us to take this unprecedented step."

Assemblymember John added that passing an austere budget is the best chance New York has for getting the governor to return to the negotiating table to supplement this minimal funding with critical initiatives the Assembly passed in its budget resolution in March.

"Up to this point, the governor simply has not worked with the Legislature to enact a feasible, optimal, negotiated budget," said Assemblymember John. "We could either do nothing and wait for the governor to stop dragging his feet, we could risk devastating vetoes, or we could pass a bare bones budget plan that shines a spotlight on the shortcomings of the governor's proposal and encourages him to finally participate in the process."

The baseline budget includes the gov-ernor's school aid numbers, which Assemblymember John said represents a $1.1 billion cut in what schools would receive under current law. "Make no mistake, the governor's education aid doesn't come close to what schools really need to reduce class size, offer more pre-K funding, or improve teacher training. But as they prepare to open their doors to mil-lions of children in the fall, at least now schools will have the minimum amount of state aid they'll receive to get by. Our job in the Legislature right now is to make sure they can do more than get by. Our job is to make sure they can excel."

"Passing this stripped-down budget does not mean the fight to meet New York's needs is over, far from it. Maybe now the governor will finally work with us on a supplemental budget that will actually make New York a better place to live and work by incorporating the Assembly initiatives passed back in March," Assemblymember John said in a prepared release.

For more information on the Assembly's budget proposal, and to see a school district-by-school district compari-son of the Assembly school aid plan vs. the governor's, visit the Assembly Web site at www.assembly.state.ny.us.