Trustees, Superintendent & Mayor in State Capitol Advocating for our Students
Superintendent Recommending Straightforward Plan to Close Budget Gap

Budget Update   Superintendent's Letter to Staff Yonkers Council of PTSAs Advocates for Children Make Your Voice Heard Campaign Budget WebCasts 03-19-08 Board of Education Stated Meeting 03-18-08 Audit, Budget & Finance Committee Meeting 2007-2008 Budget

Board of Education President Bernadette Dunne, Vice President Debra Martinez, Superintendent of Schools Bernard P. Pierorazio, Mayor Philip A. Amicone, union officials and other advocates for children are once again in the State Capitol meeting with our legislative delegation and Albany decision makers to make clear that the proposed budget reduction cuts more than money, it cuts into the heart of our school system

More than 400 Yonkers Public Schools employees will be laid off and millions of dollars cut from student programs if the Executive Budget is enacted by the State legislature. Escalating costs in non-discretionary expenses coupled with pending cuts and shifts from Albany combine to create a dire situation for our students. Superintendent of Schools, Bernard P. Pierorazio is recommending straightforward solutions that can turn this around by the April 1st deadline.

The 2008-2009 Executive Budget eliminates, cuts, and restricts funding in five key aid and reimbursement categories. This creates a gaping hole of $22 million between what is needed to fund the District's status quo budget and what the State is offering.

The reduction in revenue has real consequences to real people: 24,153 children, 70% of whom live in poverty in one of the richest counties in the nation; and 4,000 teachers and staff.

They deserve better.

Yonkers Public Schools 2008-2009 Budget
$486,608,331

Superintendent Pierorazio's 2008-2009 Recommended Budget of $486.6 million, reflects aggressive, across the board cost containment policies that meet the needs of our students and provide the resources for our teachers. This was accomplished with a low budget to budget increase of 5.73%; a remarkable accomplishment, considering that more than 80% of the increase is for higher costs associated with non-discretionary items.

STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS:

• Restore the Foundation Aid Rate Increase Minimum to 3%
  The basic New York State school funding mechanism New York State must maintain the minimum increase at last year's level of 3% to restore over $1.6 million to the Yonkers Public Schools.

• Restore 22.5% of the original $7 billion of the Foundation Aid Funding Unrestricted
  If New York State earmarks only 4% of the restored Foundation Aid funding as an unrestricted Supplemental Educational Improvement Plan grant it will drive an additional $15 million to the Yonkers Public Schools.

• Remove Artificial Restrictions and Allow Unrestricted Implementation of Contract for Excellence Initiatives
  New York State must end the artificial restrictions on Contract for Excellence funding and give Yonkers Public Schools the flexibility to use the $6.68 million of new C4E funding to support successful existing programs and district-wide initiatives aligned with the tenets Contract for Excellence.

• Restore Supplemental Excess Cost Aid
  New York State must restore the Supplemental Excess Cost Aid and return $3.34 million to the Yonkers Public Schools.