Loss of School Aid to Elmont and Sewanhaka Districts Concerns Community

Wednesday, 20 October 2010 09:57 EoL Contributer Community - The Community Post

Local Senator Craig Johnson Votes to Cut Schools
As if the loss of the STAR Rebate Check of $1,158 for every homeowner hasn’t infuriated local residents enough, news today of millions of dollars of school aid cuts to the Elmont, Franklin Square, Floral Park and Sewanhaka School districts has residents wondering what exactly is happening in Albany. Votes lost in the New York State Senate by 1 vote that have resulted in aid being slashed to communities and the loss of the STAR Rebate Check program. The news, however, of Senator Craig Johnson voting with New York City legislators under investigation for crimes, has stunned taxpayers locally. It has been revealed that Senator Johnson was the deciding vote on these issues that has resulted in the cuts and the loss of the STAR Rebate Check.

The school aid losses to the area are a first in many years. The vote in the New York State Senate that decided the fate of school aid packages in the area was breathtakingly lost by one vote. In Nassau County, Senators Dean Skelos, Chuck Fuschillo, Kemp Hannon and Carl Marcellino voted to keep local school aid levels. Senator Craig Johnson, however, voted to ship State Aid to New York City and cut local school aid for Elmont, Franklin Square, Floral Park and the Sewanhaka Central High School District. His vote decided the fate for our schools and the increase in our school taxes.

Local education leaders sounded the fire alarm on the loss of State Aid during the Spring. In fact, many local education advocates went to Albany to fight for our community’s fair share of school aid. During the visit, advocates met with State Legislators. Elmont.org can exclusively report that Assemblymembers Tom Alfano, Harvey Weisenberg, Tom McKevitt and Bob Barra met with the volunteer education advocates. Senators Dean Skelos and Kemp Hannon also met with the group.

However, in an exclusive, Elmont.org can report that Senator Craig Johnson was too busy to meet with education leaders and did not honor the request for a meeting. The move by Johnson was unprecedented to not meet with the people who a Senator is charged to represent. It should be noted that volunteers car-pooled to Albany and drove for three hours to meet with their legislators.

“The fact that Craig Johnson basically had his door closed to his constituents speaks volumes, said one education advocate noting, “its clear why he didn’t want to meet with us. He knew he was going to cut our school aid and didn’t want to face us. It was cowardly,” said one of the group members.

The cuts in school aid locally have had a devastating impact to students and taxpayers. Taxes have skyrocketed as a result of Senator Johnson’s deciding vote to cut school aid in the State Senate. In addition, it has helped bring about the cancellation of Summer School in the Sewanhaka Central High School District.

“I want to know why Senator Johnson feels its so important to vote with New York City Senators and basically screw our communities” said a Sewanhaka High School parent who tried to sign their child up for Summer School. “He sends out these mailers that say how great he is for education. When you see what he keeps doing to us in cutting our schools and taking away the STAR Rebate Check, I wonder who he thinks he is kidding?”