Hi John,
The state budget is officially late — and right now, we're hearing that Governor Cuomo is holding up negotiations over his refusal to raise taxes on his rich friends. But without revenue, the State won't be able to meet the urgent needs in our communities.
For ten years, Governor Cuomo has stood as the primary roadblock to adequately funding education in New York. His excuses have changed, but the resulting impact on students has been relentless and severe. His miserliness on school aid has denied generations of students, particularly Black and Brown students, the opportunities and future afforded by the quality education that is their right.
But Cuomo is now standing alone, the only party to budget negotiations that is still willing to put our children’s future on the chopping block, using education funding as a bargaining chip for his pet projects. It is time for him to at last recognize that there is not — and never has been — any excuse that can justify compromising the education of generations of children. It is time for Andrew Cuomo to accept that New York State has an obligation to fund its public schools, to stop shielding the profits of the wealthy and make good on the promises that the state made to children and young people years ago.
With so much on the line for students, the actions we take in this moment are critical. The State Legislature will be working through the weekend, and so are we. Send an email using the link below, and join us on Saturday for a rapid response action!
