Pays Half City Tab: State Does Part On School Construction

Pays Half City Tab
State Does Part On School Construction

By HOWARD MEGDAL

United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten expressed appreciation for the state's willingness to split the cost of the city's five-year, $13.1 billion construction effort during a bill-signing ceremony with Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki in Brooklyn last week.

GOVERNOR PATAKI: Holds up state's end. "We all fight very hard for what we believe in and we all believe in quality education," Ms. Weingarten said. "When we all get together and focus on what binds us, rather than on what divides us, we can do really amazing things for kids."

Mayor, UFT Led Fight

The UFT leader supported the Mayor's effort - which included postponing some projects as a prod to key city-based legislators - to convince the state to fund half of the Mayor's construction plan announced in November 2003.

"Parents across the city want new schools in their neighborhoods, but the plain facts were that there just wasn't enough money for them - until this morning," Mr. Bloomberg said. "We went to communities in every borough and all across this city this winter with a very clear and important message: by working together and making our voices heard, we can do the right thing and build the new classrooms, science labs, playgrounds, gyms and libraries this and future generations of our students need."

MAYOR BLOOMBERG: Pressure paid off. To cover its share of this year's costs, the state will issue $2.6 billion in bonds, with $1.8 billion earmarked for the city capital plan and the remaining $800 million going to school districts around the state.

Sidestepped Referendum

The state will also guarantee $9.4 billion in bonds from the city's Transitional Finance Authority for future construction. By borrowing through a public authority, rather than directly, the city circumvents the State Constitution's mandate of a public vote on the issue. Voters rejected a school construction bond issue in 1997.

Mr. Pataki, who has drawn criticism from Mr. Bloomberg and the UFT for not providing more school operating aid, said, "I thank the Mayor for identifying school construction funding as the city's key priority and for working diligently with the Legislature and my ad ministration to assure that we could develop an appropriate financing plan that recognizes the needs of the parents and schoolchildren of New York City, as well as the fiscal challenges faced by the State."

The Mayor estimated that the funding will allow the city schools to add 40 new science labs, 15 new libraries, 60 new athletic facilities, 40 new arts facilities, 20 new technology upgrades and 20 new heating systems this year.

Ms. Weingarten pointed out that the funding will address a glaring need.

"You can't provide a quality education for all children unless you have the buildings and the resources," Ms. Weingarten said. "You can't cut class size from where it is now - 10 percent to 60 percent higher in New York City than the statewide average - if you don't build the schools and the classrooms."