Ellen Jaffee Speaks Out on Passage of NY State Budget

The state budget increases school aid by $1.1 billion, $551 million over the executive budget proposal. But it’s only a beginning. It does not address the hardships our schools have suffered due to decreased state aid. We have a responsibility to provide the necessary resources from pre-K through college, so that all children get the quality education they deserve

70% of the budget increase will go to high-need districts. East Ramapo saw an increase of nearly 12%, which should eliminate the budget deficit that’s led to devastating program and staff cuts. I was disappointed that the DREAM Act was not included; an investment in the ability of every child to get a college education is not only an investment in their future success but also in the ability of New York State and the nation to successfully compete in a global economy.

The budget takes immediate action that will help fix the flawed implementation of Common Core, protecting students from unfair consequences based on test results; providing resources to assist teachers in professional development; and providing for the elimination of inBloom to protect the security of sensitive student data.

The budget gives our dedicated human service workers a 2% cost of living adjustment, strengthening the support system for our older adults and the developmentally disabled. It also addresses the childcare crisis by restoring funding to vital programs. I am especially gratified that legislation I sponsored will ensure that the income of children 18 and under will no longer be considered when struggling families are applying for childcare subsidies.

I am pleased that the joint advocacy efforts of my colleagues and I resulted in Rockland’s inclusion in the enacted budget to provide a property tax credit and lower income tax rate for manufacturers. The final budget also includes a 10% upstate film credit, which will directly benefit Rockland County where a variety of TV and film projects have continued to grow.

While this budget reflects many positive aspects of the work we have done together to deliver a fair, fiscally responsible, on-time budget, there are areas where I would have liked to see more progress. A tax freeze is not the way to alleviate the property tax burden in Rockland because it does not truly address the real needs of tax payers, municipalities and our schools. The estate, bank and corporate tax cuts mean the state loses vital revenue that could help our schools, social service agencies and middle-income earners, who work hard every day contributing to the quality of life in Rockland County. As we move forward, it is imperative that we continue to increase state funding to ensure a quality education for all our youth and control over property taxes.