An element I did not touch on with much depth in a review of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal has become one of the most prescient, and that’s her push to reformat how school districts receive funding. 

In an effort to curb public spending on programs, she is looking to pull back on certain policy guarantees that ensure all schools would receive adequate funding. The move has me concerned for what it means for students, faculty, staff and families.

Put simply, if the Hudson Valley region and the counties within it were subject to the governor’s proposal, a number of school districts would be vulnerable to losses. Eldred Central, Goshen Central, Greenwood Lake, Haverstraw-Stony Point Central, Port Jervis and Tuxedo Union are all school districts that are at risk of having funding cut from them. Many of them are at risk of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Without that money, we risk losing extracurricular programs; we risk diminishing the ability to hire quality and competent teachers; and we risk losing our children’s future by not providing them the opportunities they deserve.

That’s only the tip of this iceberg, though. A reduction in funding could very well lead to more crowded classes, which means teachers will not be able to focus on each child’s development and progress the same way. We’d be left carrying a heavier burden in property taxes as part of the governor’s restructuring proposal. Our kids would be left disenfranchised by a government that claims to want to serve them. And in the midst of these cuts, this governor wants to send $2.4 billion to New York City as reimbursement for migrant crisis costs, among other funding initiatives. 

Does it seem right that our kids are potentially being prioritized after undocumented migrants enter the country illegally?

My colleagues and I don’t think so, and we’re committed to ensuring all children in New York receive adequate and competitive education, regardless of where they live. Any proposal that strips our children of their futures is not one I am interested in supporting. Know that I’ll always fight for our children and their futures so long as I serve in this government.

Assemblyman Karl Brabenec represents the 98th District, which includes the city of Port Jervis, the towns of Deerpark, Greenville, Mount Hope, Wawayanda, Minisink, Warwick and Tuxedo, as well as portions of the towns of Goshen, Monroe and Ramapo. For more information, visit www.yourfavoriteassemblyman.com.