1 Golden Bomber Dr.
PO Box 480
Ilion, NY 13357
Phone: 315.894.9934
Fax: 315.894.2716
Superintendent
Ilion to receive 4.25 percent more under Governor's proposed 2012-13 state budget
Not sufficient to make up for past cuts
Under the governor's proposed budget released on Jan. 17, Ilion will receive $604,882 or 4.25 percent more in state aid in 2012-13 than last year.
The good news is that Ilion will receive $279,183 more in foundation aid than it did last year. The district will also receive $325,699 more in expense-driven aid (reimbursement for a portion of certain school expenses that the school already spent in 11-12 such as transportation, BOCES and Universal Pre-kindergarten).
"We want our resident to have a clear picture. Ilion Central School is not receiving a giant windfall next year. We will receive more aid in some categories and less in others. The net result is that we will get more under this plan, but not enough to change our financial picture," said Ilion Superintendent of Schools Cosimo Tangorra, Jr.
So where is all the money going?
Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled his proposed 2012-13 state budget amid the hype that the plan increases state spending on education by $805 million. A closer look at his plan shows that $250 million is set aside for competitive grants and $265 million is set aside for expense-driven aid.
Only $290 million of the increase is available for general school funding.
The problem for Ilion
In 2006, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that New York's school funding formula unfairly penalized poor districts such as Ilion. In response, the legislature adopted a four-year plan to spend an additional $5.5 billion on the state's neediest schools. That plan came to an end when the economy crashed in 2009.
"In 2010, under Gov. Paterson, the state froze foundation aid at 2008-09 levels," said Mr. Tangorra.
"That would have been a big enough challenge, but then, they deducted a 'gap elimination adjustment' from that promised aid to help close the state's budget shortfall. That would be like your employer taking back your agreed-upon raise to help balance his books. So this $279,000 in not an increase; the state is simply withholding less of what it had promised us."
Mr. Tangorra acknowledges Ilion will receive more than last year under the governor's proposal, but warns the increase does not solve the problem of how New York funds its schools. Poorer districts such as Ilion do not have the resources to provide the kind of education students receive in other parts of the state. Many wealthier districts spend two to three times as much per student as Ilion.
"The state spends money funding foreign languages in kindergarten and equestrian programs in affluent districts while we are barely able to provide the basics," he said.
"The foundation aid increase in the governor's proposed budget is the equivalent of $175 per student. It doesn't solve the problem; it only prolongs our struggles."
