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Pat's Letter to NYC Mayor Adams
Pat's Letter to Gov. Hochul & Legislative Leaders
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by CAITLYN STAIR Editor
A candidate for the New York State Assembly has launched a petition drive to collect signatures from Maryvale School District taxpayers asking New York City leaders to fully reimburse the district for all costs incurred for educating 76 asylum-seeking students who were bused to the district from the city in August 2023.
That influx of new students caused the school district to spend $800,000 in addition to expenditures in the already planned budget. New York City has yet to reimburse the district with any of the promised funds.
Assemblywoman Monica Wallace announced an 8.9% increase ($1.7 million) in New York State foundation aid for the Maryvale School District in April; however, that aid was met with frustration from the district.
School Superintendent Joseph D'Angelo told the Bee that any increase in funds that the school district receives from foundation aid should be separate from the funds that New York City promised to reimburse.
D'Angelo said that foundation aid is needed to help cover the basic operating costs incurred by the school district.
D 'Angelo claimed that Maryvale "Has not yet seen any of the funds that New York City promised as reimbursement, although it is still fighting to be made whole."
Assembly candidate Patrick Chludzinski created a petition in early May in order to "fight to get the money the taxpayers are owed."
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Assembly candidate pushes Maryvale reimbursement
"In good faith, the Maryvale School District ramped up services on short notice and incurred $800,000 in costs to educate the children of undocumented immigrants that were brought here from New York City," Chludzinski said. "They were promised that New York City would reimburse them for their costs. The fact that they are rightfully asking for the money owed to them and are being criticized by their State Assemblymember is reprehensible… I am asking those taxpayers to join me in fighting to get the money they are owed."
Wallace told the Bee that Chludzinski's petition is simply a "partisan ploy by my opponent to score political gain."
"As I've previously stated, this current budget allocates $1.7 million in additional foundation aid to the Maryvale School District, which far exceeds any costs borne by the school district as a result of the unforeseen arrival of the asylee students," Wallace said. "Since I've taken office, state aid to Maryvale has increased by nearly 70% due to my fierce advocacy on behalf of public schools. To suggest that I am not fighting for funds for the school district is absolutely preposterous and contradicted by objectively verifiable facts.”
Wallace also said she has been happy to help make state funding available to the Maryvale
School District that is related to the cost of educating migrant students, but she believes larger action needs to take place for lasting change to occur, saying that she “would like to see New York City give $800,000."
Some resident comments as cited on the petition include:
“It's ridiculous that some of our taxes exceed our mortgage, and we don't need any more tax increases in order to pay for something we didn't ask for, nor agree with.”
“I teach my children to take responsibility for their actions. Officials in New York City need to do the same.”
“This is literally ridiculous. If the district has been promised money, Albany should pay up. We shouldn't take that on as taxpayers; no one asked for them to come to our district. This district does not have the funds for this. The times are tough enough and now to help support this is ridiculous. New York City needs to pay up.”
Chludzinski said that in the first week of the petition's launch, more than 300 signatures were received from area taxpayers. To view the petition, visit https//www.chludzinskiforassembly.com.