By Nicole Falco
Speaking at last Saturday's ninth annual Legislative Breakfast, sponsored by the Valley Stream Council of PTAs, Waslo, a member of the Wheeler Avenue School PTA, asked her local legislators if there was anything that could be done to keep school districts' contributions to state pension funds down.
State Assemblyman Bob Barra sympathized with Waslo. He explained that the state pension plan is currently handled by state Comptroller Alan Hevesi and that there is a movement in Albany to have Hevesi removed as the sole trustee of the pension system. Instead, a board would be appointed in his place. Another movement in Albany calls for a 401K plan instead of a traditional pension plan.
"I support pension reform," Barra said. "I think we should know down the road what we are going to pay."
Year after year, school district officials cite mandated costs coupled with slim increases in state aid as major contributors to school tax increases. This year is no different, and there's more. Concerns shared by parents, residents and school officials include the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, which calls for millions of dollars in state aid to be restored to New York City schools; the cost of the federally mandated, but underfunded, No Child Left Behind legislation; the governor's proposal to eliminate BOCES aid, and the proposal to combine special education aid with regular education aid.
Gathered in Cafeteria B of Memorial Junior High School, the community's local elected officials addressed the concerns and answered questions shared by the approximately 100-member audience. Besides Barra, who also represented state Sen. Dean Skelos, they included town councilmen James Darcy and Ed Ambrosino, county Legislator John Ciotti and U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, who was attending for the first time. Scott Cushing attended on behalf of state Assemblyman Tom Alfano.
After making brief introductory statements, elected officials heard from representatives of the school community. "We cannot provide a sound, equitable and appropriate education for our children," said Dr. Maria Fletcher, president of the high school district Board of Education, "without a state aid package that supports the educational initiatives that are mandated by federal and state regulatory bodies, reflects the increases in retirement system contributions and takes into consideration the general increase in the cost of providing basic services to our children." Fletcher spoke on behalf of all four Valley Stream boards.
Lawrence McGoldrick, District 30 superintendent of schools, spoke for Valley Stream's school administrators. Referring to the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, McGoldrick said, "If there is not a plan in place that measures where this money is going, we are going to be underwriting the West Side stadium."
McGoldrick also expressed his concerns about the additional testing that is being mandated next year by the No Child Left Behind legislation. "Testing does not mean learning," he said. "Testing means testing. ... No one wants anything less than accountability, but we don't want excess."
In her opening remarks, McCarthy touched on NCLB. "I don't even know how to begin to say that a bill that was supposed to be helping our students has become a failure in so many areas," she said.
McCarthy also spoke of the perception of Long Islanders in Washington D.C. "Washington actually thinks everyone on Long Island is a multi-millionaire," she said. "Any time I go to Washington [with a need] they say you don't need that. ... The salaries may be high here, but the cost of living is, too."
Helene Harris, Council of PTAs president, implored the communities' state representatives to approve the state budget on time. "This uncertainty results in negative anticipatory behavior on the part of school boards, where they make preventative cuts in funding, just in case," she said.
Harris also called the proposal to combine special-education aid and regular education aid "unacceptable," and said she hopes that the Campaign for Fiscal Equity court rulings "address the needs of all students in the state."
One of the morning's high notes was discussion of the proposal by Republicans in the state Assembly, including Barra and Alfano, to restore Comprehensive Operating Aid to school districts throughout the state as a one-time retroactive restoration aid payment for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years. COA helps districts cover general operating and maintenance costs. According to a press release from Barra's office, school districts in his Assembly district would receive more than $5 million in restoration aid - approximately $659,000 to District 13, $183,000 to District 24, $266,000 to District 30 and $737,000 to the Central High School District.
"This is our [Campaign for Fiscal Equity]," Barra told those at the breakfast.
Other issues
Maime Eng, assistant director of the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library, asked officials about restorations in library aid. McCarthy said she plans to host a seminar for library officials in her district to explain how they can receive additional funding from the federal government. Barra also said he would do what he could to support the library.
One resident asked if there was any information about plans for the site of the former Salvation Army Wayside Home School for Girls, which closed in December 2003. Darcy said that developers are interested in the 14-acre property, but there are no formal plans. He said that everything from a BJ's Wholesale Club to senior housing has been discussed for the location.
A resident of the Mill Brook section of Valley Stream asked about a senior housing project being talked about for his community. Darcy assured him that the project was still only in the proposal phase.
Comments about this story? NFalco@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
