Education Forum Panel
Deborah Cunningham is Associate in charge of the Office of Education Management
for the New York State Education Department. The Department did a study on the generation
of revenues for education, reducing reliance on the property tax, using the local income tax, and
comparing the system of funding education in New York with other states in the country. The
study recommended an enhanced property tax circuit breaker (that became the STAR program
to help elderly homeowners), a need to increase the amount of aid from the state income tax,
and keeping the property tax as a stable, reliable funding source that cannot be eliminated.
Frank Mauro is Executive Director for the Fiscal Policy Institute, which for 24 years has
done research and education on tax, budget, and economic related issues that affect the quality
of life and economic well-being of state residents. Mauro believes that there should be a move
in the direction of the income tax to fund schools, but that we cannot remove the property tax
completely. Without the property tax, he said it would require a 75% hike in the state income tax
to produce sufficient funding for education.
Edmund J. McMahon is Senior Fellow for Tax and Budgetary Studies at the Manhattan
Institute, which for 25 years has supported and publicized research on public policy issues like
taxes, welfare, crime, the legal system, urban life, race, education, etc. . . McMahon believes that
we would need a very high income tax to fund schools if we switched from the real estate tax. In his
opinion a progressive tax on personal income would be a disincentive to work, save, and live in New
York State, especially for those at the highest income brackets who have the freedom to be more portable.
Many thanks to these organizations who
are co-sponsoring the Education Forum on
April 28, 7:00 p.m., at Cortlandt Town Hall:
Briarcliff Manor Schools BPTA, Carmel Schools, Lions Club of Cold Spring, American Association of
University Women – Westchester, Chamber of Commerce of the Mahopacs, League of Women
Voters - BOCC, Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body, Pattern For Progress Institute, Putnam Valley
Middle & Elementary School PTA, Ossining Council of PTAs, Cold Spring/Garrison Chamber of
Commerce, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES, Westchester County Association, Greater Ossining
Chamber of Commerce, Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of
Westchester, NAACP of Peekskill, CSEA Southern Region III, Ossining Union Free School District,
Putnam Valley School District, League of Women Voters of Westchester County, New York State United
Teachers (NYSUT), Lakeland District Parents’ Council, Lakeland High School HSA, Walter Panas
High School Parent Teacher Council, Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School PTA, Lincoln-Titus Elementary
School PTA, George Washington Elementary School PTA, Benjamin Franklin Elementary School PTA,
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School PTA, Van Cortlandtville Elementary School PTA, Lakeland Special
Education PTA, Lakeland Alternative High School, Croton Lions Club, Westchester/Putnam School Boards
Association, Peekskill Council of Parent Teacher Organizations, Garrison Union Free School District, Haldane
Central School District, and Blue Mountain Middle School PTA.
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