Preconsidered Res. No. 826 Title Resolution calling upon the Governor and the New York State Legislature to fully restore State funding for the education of New York City's schoolchildren and to take such further steps as are necessary to ensure that the City of New York has the financial resources to provide each of its schoolchildren with an appropriate education. Body By The Speaker (Council Member Miller) and Council Members Rivera, Moskowitz, Baez, Barron, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, Davis, Fidler, Gennaro, Katz, Koppell, Liu, Monserrate, Nelson, Perkins, Quinn, Recchia, Reed, Sanders, Seabrook, Sears, Serrano, Stewart, Vann, Weprin and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum) Whereas, Approximately 1.1 million schoolchildren - one-third of all schoolchildren in New York State - are educated in the New York City public school system; and Whereas, Almost one-third of the City's schoolchildren live below the Federal poverty line and 80% qualify for free or reduced cost school lunches, which is far above the statewide average; and Whereas, Additionally, many New York City schoolchildren are the children of recent immigrants or are immigrants themselves, and therefore rely upon the New York City public school system to teach them the English language, as well as American values, history and culture; and Whereas, It costs approximately $12 billion per year to educate New York City's 1.1 million schoolchildren, of which the State of New York paid approximately $5.5 billion (or less than 50% of the cost) in Fiscal Year 2003; and Whereas, New York City schoolchildren receive significantly less per-capita funding for education than do schoolchildren in more affluent parts of New York State; and Whereas, The Governor's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2004 cuts funding to the New York City public school system by almost $500 million, and the State has not agreed to pay $275 million in teacher's salaries necessary to cover the costs of the newly-implemented longer school day, bringing the State's budget shortfall to almost $775 million; and Whereas, Furthermore, Art. XI, § 1 of the Constitution of the State of New York guarantees each child a sound, basic education and notes that "[t]he legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a system of free common schools, wherein all children of this state may be educated;" and Whereas, The stated mission of the New York State Department of Education is to "raise the knowledge, skill, and opportunity of all the people in New York," and the stated mission of the New York State Department of Education State Aid Workgroup is "[t]o improve school funding to build capacity so that all children will meet higher learning standards;" and Whereas, The 1.1 million school children in New York City represent the future of New York State and of this Nation, and their education is vital to our economic and societal well-being; and Whereas, New York City contributes approximately $3.5 billion in tax revenues to New York State in excess of revenues that it receives from the State and, in this time of fiscal crisis, the State has thus far refused to implement fiscal relief measures (such as restoring the Commuter tax or paying for unfunded mandates), despite the City's repeated requests that it do so; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Governor and the New York State Legislature fully restore State funding for the education of New York City's schoolchildren and take such further steps as are necessary to ensure that the City of New York has the financial resources to provide each of its schoolchildren with an appropriate education. (MHG) LS# 2205