Teachers Union Chief Says Influx of Cash is Argument Against Layoffs
By Paul Westmoore, The Buffalo News, N.Y.
May 25–NIAGARA FALLS — Now that the Niagara Falls School District is financially sound, Niagara Falls Teachers Union President Joseph Catalano told the School Board Thursday it should look at improving programs for students and “making this a world class school district.”
He said the board was prepared to cut 98 teaching jobs in 2007-08 because it faced a $6.5 million deficit when budget deliberations began this year.
But since that time, things have changed and layoffs of that magnitude should not be necessary, Catalano said.
When all is said and done, Catalano told the board the district has received the money it needed not only to overcome its projected deficit and address other financial concerns, but has been provided with an overflow of $3 million to $4 million in state aid for 2007-08.
“We should use this money on programs to help our students reach their goals and become proficient in all their course work,” he said. That means keeping on “good young teachers” to work with city children and not sending them off to find jobs in other districts.
In the past 10 years he said the district has built three schools and upgraded its buildings. Now it has gained new revenues from the Seneca-Niagara Casino and the New York Power Authority. It also will continue to receive significant revenues from the power authority along with free electricity for the next 50 years.
With the district in such good financial shape, Catalano said, “I’m pushing they spend this money on programs for kids. That’s what the State Legislature and Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer want them to use it for. The governor said money will not be an excuse for poor performance anymore. He gave us the money. He wants us to use it to help kids.
“We can use it to bring back school libraries, full art and music programs, all kinds of creative elective programs at the high school, foreign languages in the elementary grades, Asian languages at the high school. There’s a lot you can do to make our school district a world class organization,” he said.
Board President Robert Kazeangin Jr. said school officials are reviewing the budget and the board expects to receive recommendations on spending from School Superintendent Carmen A. Granto before the end of the month. He said the board does not intend to cut programs.
He said any cutbacks would be “caused by declining student enrollment,” which fell below the 8,000 mark this year for the first time since about 1 9 3 0 . “Part of our problem is we just don’t have the students for teachers to teach,” he said. “Our concern is to keep programs in place, spend wisely and make sure students get a quality education.”
He said the board does not want to get rid of good young teachers. “We are still planning. Unfortunately, our student population has dwindled,” which leaves the matter of teacher layoffs on the table.
pwestmoore@buffnews.com
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Copyright (c) 2007, The Buffalo News, N.Y.
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