"A quick tribute to the Citizens Budget Commission....you're a great model of public policy institutions like this across the country; no more important time than today for this kind of work." Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner
New York State imposes more than 200 special education mandates above and beyond those required by federal law.[1] Some were put in place to protect due process or guarantee timely services, while others limit class sizes and caseloads. All translate into higher costs and help fuel rapid spending growth.
In June 2010 the New York State budget was two months past due; Governor David Paterson’s calls for state employee furloughs and salary freezes had been rebuffed by labor union leaders; and a no-layoff pledge for state workers, agreed to in exchange for pension reforms for new hires, was in effect through the end of the calendar year.
The Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, included in the 2010- Executive Budget, proposes significant changes in the funding of New York State's system of public higher education.
President Carol Kellermann outlines what Mayor Bloomberg must accomplish in his negotiations with the Teachers' Union in order to get the vital reforms needed to fix the school system.