Alpha grandma Suzie Oppenheimer pretended to play white knight today, calling for legislation that would remove any spending limits once a school budget is rejected by the voters.
This is demagoguery by the Westchester State Senator. She is playing to suburban school districts with administrators who don't know how to say "no" -- and only know how to manage schools with more money.
She's also running for re-election in the 37th State Senate District, for the 13th time?
The following headline on Capitol Confidential comes courtesy of the State Senate Democrats, who don't seem to grasp the plight of those paying escalating school taxes -- many now without the STAR refund.
"Senate Dems Look To Ease School $ Contingency Limits" -- Capitol Confidential
Isn't the point of rejecting a school budget to REDUCE spending?
It's a ridiculous bill. It's probably unconstitutional but it makes for a good photo op and press release.
"... The contingency measure appears to be a sign that school districts statewide are bracing for a lot of “No” votes when their budgets go before voters in May.
Under current law, a “No” vote means that districts have to limit spending hikes to 4 percent or 120 percent of the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less."
In other words, Suzi Oppenheimer just dumbly disregarded the rule of law and local school budget referendums -- as if democracy doesn't matter anymore?
Most fiscal hawks have a problem with the 4 percent "contingency" increase. There is no such thing as a "flat" budget in New York State once a local school budget is rejected (and everyone usually gets to vote for it a second time, to wear down opponents).
Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie plans to cut local school aid by $800 million.
The Star-Ledger reported that Christie's plan will equal up to 5 percent of local school budgets.
"By basing the aid calculation on districts' budgets, the overall reduction of about $820 million is at odds with New Jersey's school funding formula, which dictates that more money go to districts with the neediest children, officials said. That formula, which survived a Supreme Court challenge last spring, replaced the longstanding "Abbott" system that sent the bulk of the aid to 31 poor urban districts."
The Star-Ledger reported that these cuts to schools come on top of $475 million that Christie sliced from school aid in the current fiscal year -- cuts based on districts' excess surplus.
Christie's formula for austerity is expected to be challenged in court.
Oppenheimer's bill was probably more for show than anything else.
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