Federal tax cuts worry state official
KINGSBURY, N.Y. » Uncertainty over the recently- enacted federal tax bill poses major challenges for state lawmakers and local school officials with regard to education funding, a state Board of Regents member says.
Kathleen Ouderkirk, of Morrisville, co- chairs the board’s State Aid Subcommittee, which develops Regents funding requests submitted to the Legislature.
Ouderkirk, who represents the North Country, was on hand for an annual BOCES Legislative Breakfast at the Southern Adirondack Education Center in Kingsbury on Friday.
“There’s no clear answers right now coming from any direction,” she said. “How we’re going to do all the important things for our kids is a huge question mark. Nobody knows which direction to go. That’s frustrating.”
Ouderkirk said she’s hopeful Gov. Andrew Cuomo will provide some answers during Tuesday’s scheduled executive budget address.
More money is vitally needed for programs ranging from prekindergarten to professional staff development. At the very least, funding should be kept at current levels, said Ouderkirk, whose career in education began more than 50 years ago as a kindergarten teacher.
She’s greatly concerned about how federal tax cuts might affect these and other initiatives.
“Decisions being made in Washington right now are going
to impact education in New York state,” Ouderkirk said. “They’re going to impact a lot of things. They’re going to cripple New York state with our funding sources and that’s going to cause us to have difficulty negotiating education dollars for next year.
How do you figure out how to tackle this?”
State Assembly members Carrie Woerner and Dan Stec, and state Sen. Betty Little attended the event, along with representatives of Assembly member Mary Beth Walsh and state Sen. James Tedisco.
Queensbury and Hartford school superintendents Douglas Huntley and Andrew Cook reviewed legislative priorities for education and BOCES in particular.
Huntley called for an increase in Foundation Aid, whose formula is used to determine the state aid schools get. This hasn’t been updated since the Great Recession of 2008-09, and creation of the state tax cap, he said.
In addition, the aid limit for small capital projects should be raised from $100,000 to $250,000 so districts can do more preventive maintenance projects such as roof and furnace repairs. The current limit was set in 2002, Huntley said.
Wood said more state aid is needed for BOCES instructor salaries. At present, such funding covers less than half a career and technical education teacher’s salary, he said.
Skilled jobs are in high demand in the Capital Region, but without qualified teachers, there won’t be enough students to fill such positions, Wood said.
During the event, school officials presented Business & Industry Awards to two local companies that have done a great deal to promote education in their respective communities.
Argyle-based Adirondack Studios designs and manufactures interactive displays and sets for high-profile entertainment venues such as Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida, and Broadway plays such as “The Lion King” and “Mary Poppins.”
Arygle High School student internships have opened career doors, educational opportunities and provided invaluable experience for many young people, said Rick Fleury, school art department chairman. Students working on projects have even traveled to see the installation of finished products at Florida theme parks.
“Creative and hands- on involvement are what school standards are all about,” he said.
Adirondack Scenic official Maurice O’Connell accepted the award on the company’s behalf. His father
is former Saratoga Springs Mayor J. Michael O’Connell.
Another award was presented to Camp Echo Lake in Warrensburg, which has made its property available for school sports programs and hosts a three-day camp each spring for underprivileged children. Recently, camp co- owner Tony Stein created and provided funding for an after-school program for kids in grades two to five. Almost 50 children take part five days per week throughout the school year.
Camp co- owner Laurie Rinke accepted the award. Camp Echo Lake was founded as a summer camp shortly after World War II.
The singer Neil Sedaka was once a counselor there and wrote the camp’s alma mater. Children of television personalities have also stayed there, including the daughter of CNN newscaster Wolf Blitzer.