Staten Island Elected Officials Demand State Cfe Funds

The Campaign for Fiscal Equity case against was filed over a decade ago. In 2003 the State Supreme Court ruled that New York State was in violation of its own constitution for failing to provide New York City schoolchildren with a sound, basic education.

Since then, Governor Pataki and Senate Republicans have continually blocked attempts to comply with the court’s decision to change the state’s school funding formula.

“The year before my child was to start kindergarten, the CFE case had just begun. Now he is graduating and going off to college. How many more years will it take before our children see this money?” said Shari Donders, President of the Staten Island Federation of PTA’s.

Parents, teachers, students and community activists are hoping that another generation doesn’t grow up without real reform of the school system.

“When I was elected a year ago, it was in part, a response to voters’ dissatisfaction with the way things are done in Albany, specifically with the way our budget is decided and how our tax dollars are spent,” said Senator Savino.

As we go into budget negotiations, I call on Governor Pataki and the Senate Republicans to take this into consideration—and show their commitment to New York City school children, by providing the $1.8 billion necessary to complete these desperately needed new schools,” she added.