Albany City Schools
Should be Run by
City Government

The Albany City School Board has wisely
submitted a proposed school budget with
a 2.2 percent increase, rather than the 15
percent increase first proposed.

The Board is to be commended.

Perhaps, their action was motivated to
defuse the city schools as a central
campaign issue. For after all, the Board
and District are run by allies of Leftist
Mayoral candidate Shawn Morris, and
that faction of the Albany Common
Council, leaving them off the hook?

Given the dysfunction of the city
schools, and massive amounts of state
aid and federal stimulus money, zero
increase, and perhaps, even a decrease
in the proposed school budget is in order.

The good news on the school budget
is great for this year...election year when
the Leftists are trying to gain control
of city government.

But, what about next year? The stimulus
money, and even state aid may be gone
and Albany property taxpayers will be
facing a HUGE school property tax
increase.

The solution?

Fix the problem this year, while the
state legislature is in session.

Merge the city schools with the city
government making the Mayor and
Common Council resposible and
accountable for the operation and
performance of the city schools.

Create one property tax base to
finance both city schools and city
government .

Return to a K-8 neighborhood school
system which is best for kids, parents
and revitalizing neighborhoods.

A Home Rule Request from the Common
Council is required , as well as sponsorship
of appreopriate state legislation, to make
the necessary amendments to State Law.
The Council is Democratically controlled.


Will the Common Council sponsor and
approve a timely Home Rule request so
it can be acted upon this session?

Will Assemblymen McEneny and
Cannestrai, and Senator Breslin sponsor
the necessary legislation? All are Democrats
and the Democratically controlled state
legislature should pass the reforms with
ease. Governor Paterson could quickly
sign the merger into law.

The State Legislators and Governor Paterson
are up for election next year.

State AG Cuomo, and State Comptroller
Di Napoli both advocate local government
consolidation. It follows that both should
enthusiastically support merging the city
school district with city government.

Both of these are up for election in 2010
as well.

Freshman Congressman Paul Tonko is
up for re-election in 2010 also. He is
a great advocate for the middle class
taxpayers, as should readily support
the merger of city schools and city
government as a prudent fiscal move.

Senators Chuckie and Gillibrand are
both up for election in 2010, too. Do
you suposse they would champion this
action? Both claim to be champions of
the downtrodden middle class taxpayer.

The School Board has craftily defused
the issue by lowering this year's
school budget increase, so turnout at
the May school budget vote can be
expected to be the usual 10 percent
of eligible school voters.

No use putting the ballot questions
I proposed in my earlier post (this blog)
on the school budget vote ballot
because, with 90 percent of the eligible
voters staying home, an accurate guage
of public support for the merger would
not be possible.

So, the ball is in the court of the city
candidates for election this year, and
the federal and state candidates for
election next year.

Who, among the candidates this
year will promote the consolidation
of the city schools with city government.

Who, among, next year's candidates
will get on board this year?

If nothing happens, this year expect
the mother of all school property tax
increases next year, whe the federal
stimulus, and state aid money is not
there.

Consolidation of the Albany City
schools with city government remains
a key election year issue, in 2009 and
in 2010.

Joe Sullivan