ALBANY- New York Proposition 1, which will appear on ballots in the upcoming general election, seeks to address debt limitation inequities imposed upon small city school districts. Small city school districts are defined in state law as the school districts of each city, which according to the latest federal census, has fewer than 125,000 inhabitants. There are currently 57 small city school districts throughout the state.
In the Mid-Hudson Region, several school districts are included in this designation including the Newburgh Enlarged, Port Jervis City, Poughkeepsie City, Middletown Enlarged, and Kingston City School Districts. School board members and officials from these districts support the proposition.
“Proposition 1 represents a crucial opportunity to reshape the educational landscape in New York State by providing its 57 small city school districts the ability to operate within the same debt level limits that are available to the State’s 650-plus remaining school districts,” explains Kingston City Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Paul J. Padalino.
Padalino is referring to an archaic provision in the state constitution that limits small city school districts’ debt level to 5 percent of their average full value of taxable real estate, except with approval by more than 60 percent of voters, the Board of Regents, and the State Comptroller.
Rural and suburban districts, however, benefit from a 10 percent limit that is instead set by local finance law. In addition to having a higher debt ceiling, rural and suburban districts are also permitted to deduct costs reimbursed through State Building Aid from their limit, which is not permitted for small city school districts.
“These differences put small city school districts at a significant disadvantage in their ability to maintain and improve their school facilities and address critical health and safety needs,” explains Padalino. “Statewide, the impact of these disparities falls heavily upon students from minority and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, for no other reason than that the population level of their school district is within the boundaries of a small city zip code.”
These tighter restrictions are a relic of a time prior to 1997 when small city school districts’ budgets followed vastly different rules than their rural and suburban counterparts, such as not needing voter approval for annual operating budgets. There also was no property tax cap. In years since, small city school district guidelines have been changed and they now have the same voter approval process and tax cap limitations as rural and suburban schools.
The measure passed both the State Senate and Assembly by large margins, and is supported by Governor Hochul. It also has the backing of the state’s teachers union, the School Board Association and Council of School Superintendents. The change now goes to voters for approval, as is required with any change to the state’s constitution.
“The proposed change is an important step towards creating a level playing field for students who attend small city school districts like Kingston and removing educational inequities in their physical space,” said Padalino. “Every ballot cast carries the power to influence the future of our schools and, by extension, the opportunities available to our children.”
