Proposed Res. No. 497-A Title Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to enact S.905 and H.R.1076, known collectively as the America's Better Classroom Act of 2001. Body By Council Members Sears, Avella, Baez, Davis, DeBlasio, Diaz, Felder, Gennaro, Gerson, Koppell, Lopez, Nelson, Reyna, Sanders, Seabrook, Stewart, Quinn and Dilan Whereas, The extraordinary need to build new schools and modernize existing school buildings is one of the most pressing issues affecting our children today; and Whereas, Furthermore, according to the Fiscal Year 2002 Mayor's Management Report (MMR), a significant number of New York City public schools are overcrowded, with 43.7% of elementary schools, 37.6% of middle schools and 63.7% of high schools operating above capacity, representing 45.9% of all elementary and middle school students and 73.3% of all high school students, respectively; and Whereas, Additionally, there is a continuing gap between school capacity needs and available seats as the City struggles to reduce class sizes in the early grades and expand pre-kindergarten access; and Whereas, According to the New York City Partnership, approximately 90% of City schools require repairs and/or upgrading; and Whereas, Furthermore, many school buildings lack such necessities as lab facilities and computer wiring, at a time when students must meet new State standards in order to graduate high school; and Whereas, Additionally, the MMR indicates that 78.2% of school buildings were rated in "fair condition," 6.53% were rated in "fair to poor condition" and 2,194 hazardous building violations were issued for the City's public schools; and Whereas, Research has shown that decaying environmental conditions can affect a student's ability to learn, as well as the health and morale of students and teachers; and Whereas, The America's Better Classroom Act of 2001 (S. 905 and H.R. 1076) would provide approximately $25 billion in tax credit bonds to school districts throughout the United States in order to build new classrooms and address school renovation needs, with an estimated $1.5 billion in bonding authority allocated to New York City; and Whereas, Furthermore, Under the America's Better Classroom Act, local authorities would be exempt from paying interest on qualified public school modernization bonds, resulting in a significant savings to New York City; and Whereas, Passage of the America's Better Classroom Act is crucial to ensuring that our children attend schools that are modernized and in environments conducive to learning; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to enact S.905 and H.R.1076, known collectively as the America's Better Classroom Act of 2001. LP 10/24/02 |10
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