EdVANTAGE Blog

Governor Paterson announced yesterday that he was directing state agencies to reduce their non-personnel spending by a total of $500 million (11 percent) as a first step toward closing an estimated $3 billion budget deficit in the state’s current fiscal year.

This is a reduction in agency spending for supplies, equipment, travel, and contractual services — not in grants to schools or other local entities.

The State Education Department’s target is $5.38 million.

The Governor has taken some criticism for not advancing specific recommendations for closing the current year deficit.  Reportedly, there are divisions within the administration, with Lt. Governor Richard Ravitch and Budget Director Robert Megna advocating more aggressive action to address the state’s budget deficits.

By law, the Governor’s Budget Division issues quarterly updates on the state of the  state’s finances.  The next report is due before the end of this month.

Yesterday (Tuesday), the Governor said he would propose specific cuts, if negotiations with the Legislature fail.

The Albany Times Union reported,

The Assembly and Senate, Paterson said, “are going to need a menu of cuts to make. I’m letting them participate in formulating that menu. And if they don’t come up with one quickly enough, I’ll provide it myself.”

I served as Governor Cuomo’s education aide during his last three years in office and had to explain and defend our proposals for education budget cuts.  (Point of personal privilege:  my tenure started after the 1990 mid-year cuts and steep aid cuts enacted in 1991).

Speaking with unhappy constituents, I would sometimes observe, “The Legislature gets the benefit of our experience.”  By that, I meant that the Legislature had the opportunity to weigh public reactions to our proposals before making its own budget decisions.

By offering the opening proposals, Governors invite a pummeling upon themselves.  But it also creates a more open and transparent process, rather than negotiating in secret with Legislative Leaders, presenting the public with a “done deal.”

Dr. David M. Steiner was sworn-in yesterday as New York State’s Commissioner Education.  The event took place in front of schoolchildren at Albany’s Pine Hills Elementary School.

Commissioner Steiner promised to begin his leadership by embarking on a “listening tour” visiting schools and other educational institutions all over the state.

He will be speaking at our Fall Leadership Summit in Rochester on Monday.

Commissioner Steiner said this in a news release issued by the State Education Department:

“I am honored to take this oath today before these students who represent the promise and challenge faced in schools throughout the state. I look forward to working with the Board of Regents, school leaders and parents in every district across New York as we continue to raise standards, improve accountability and work to transform education in New York into a hub of innovation and best practices to boost student achievement.”

Here is how the Gannett newspapers covered the event.  Gannett reports that,

“Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch described Steiner as a ‘thought leader’ who she hopes will help change the education system from a ‘regulatory bureaucracy’ to a ‘repository for best practices.’ She said the commissioner will ‘push the envelope” and “challenge orthodoxy.’”

You can watch the Commissioner’s remarks and first news conference online.

The new Commissioner addressed one pointed and timely policy issue yesterday, saying something similar to a point we have made about the state’s cap on charter schools.  He said, “A cap is a way of saying let’s not just go mindlessly into the future. Let’s be thoughtful about this. Let’s ask ourselves every time whether this is the right decision about the right school in the right place.”