Local PTA advocacy

This letter was provided by our local PTA so that parents could easily advocate for their children's schools.  Additional versions were distributed for parents to send to Assemblywoman Paulin and Governor Cuomo.

I'm unsure what exactly this part means:

Revise the way schools are funded to ensure equity so that all children in New York State receive the same high level of education. 

Address _______________________

Address _______________________

Date      ________________________

Dear Senator Klein,  
Our children need your help!
Taxpayers in New York are tax-weary and need property tax relief. However, Governor Cuomo proposes a simplistic solution that may have dire consequences for our schools and our children.   The Governor wants a tax cap.  It sounds like a good idea. 
However, unless a tax cap is accompanied with meaningful mandate relief, the result could decimate the Eastchester Schools. 
Any discussion on tax cap legislation must do the following:

·        Revise the way schools are funded to ensure equity so that all children in New York State receive the same high level of education. 

·        Repeal underfunded or unfunded state mandates that require local municipalities and school districts to significantly increase spending and therefore raise local property taxes. 

·        End the poor practice of passing costs on to taxpayers for unnecessary mandates.  

This is a crucial time in this country.  We must ensure that our children are prepared to meet the requirements to excel in a sophisticated and demanding global economy.  The opposite may occur under the Cuomo approach to education.  It will inescapably lead to drastic cuts in essential local school district programs and significant layoffs of school district employees.  DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN ON YOUR WATCH.
Thank you for all that you do for the Eastchester Community and the Eastchester Schools.

Sincerely,
Name: ____________________________________________
Signature: _________________________________________