ALBANY, NY (January 16, 2018) — In response to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed education budget announced on Tuesday, the Alliance for Quality Education and actor and AQE spokesperson Cynthia Nixon released the following joint statement:
“Governor Cuomo is attempting to appear generous while perpetuating educational racism and economic inequality, at a time when nearly half of New York’s children are living in poverty. Sound bites about equity will not educate our children; that requires closing the massive educational opportunity gap for Black, Brown and poor students,” said Jasmine Gripper, legislative director, Alliance for Quality Education. “Disturbingly, Governor Cuomo’s budget proposal, a pitiful $338 million in Foundation Aid, is an example of education justice denied. This would not even be enough to prevent classroom cuts across the state and totally fails to address equity.”
New York currently ranks 49th in the nation on equity in education spending; under Governor Cuomo’s leadership 48 states have more equitable funding than New York State. This is because in his eight years in office, the Governor has consistently failed to fund the Foundation Aid formula and fulfill the State’s obligations under the Campaign for Fiscal Equity.
“Governor Cuomo had a chance today to put the next generation of New Yorkers first,” saidactor and AQE spokesperson Cynthia Nixon. “Instead, he proposed yet another budget that will keep New York at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to educational equity and justice. Governor Cuomo claims he has provided record increases in education funding, but in reality, he has created a record spending gap between the wealthiest and poorest school districts.”
“Ever since he took office, Governor Cuomo has found excuse after excuse for why he can’t prioritize education for Black, Brown, immigrant and low income students; this year’s excuse is the deficit. Governor Cuomo had many revenue options to choose from that could have generated billions in needed revenues — recapture taxes on Donald Trump’s tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and on corporate pass through income — but he chose to leave these options on the table. Once again, Governor Cuomo has left Black, Brown and low-income children holding the short end of the stick,” said Gripper.