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History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Makes provisions regarding appointment of members of the board of education for the city of Buffalo
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Mark J.F. Schroeder
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to providing for the appointment of members of the board of education in the city of Buffalo
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this legislation is to allow the Mayor of the City of Buffalo to appoint two (2) members to the Board of Education in the City of Buffalo in addition to the nine (9) members who are elected to the Board.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 2552 and various subdivisions of Section 2553 of the education law are being amended to provide for the appointment of two board members which would be in addition to the election of nine members currently provided therein. The amendments ensure that the provisions of the education law apply to the appointed members as well as the elected members. They also provide that a vacancy of an appointed member shall be filled by the mayor within thirty days of the vacancy and that the initial terms of office of the appointed members terminate at the same time as the at-large elected members in office at the time of the appointment.
Read the full memo (690 words)
Justification
The Board of Education of the City of Buffalo currently consists of nine members, each of whom is elected to the Board. Six members are elected from six school sub-districts within the city and three are elected from the population of the city at-large. The Board previously was comprised of seven at-large appointments made by the mayor. In 1973, the education law was amended to provide the current configuration. It is now felt that the mayor of the City should regain a voice in the policy and administrative decisions made by the board.
In recent years, it has become apparent that there is a need for the mayor to be involved in the actions of the Board. These amendments will not surrender control of the Board to the Mayor or the city government, but serve as a step toward building a bridge to create greater fiscal accountability. As a fiscally dependent, but operationally independent school district, the Board manages over 46% of the city's total property tax levy (1998- 1999 fiscal year). While that figure only represents 17% of the school district's revenue, it is a significant portion of the taxpayers' investment in the City of Buffalo. The manner in which those monies are expended reflects directly onto the perception held by the taxpayers of the management of the City of Buffalo.
Buffalo is watching its population base flee from the city towards the outlying suburbs. One of the primary factors in the decision to leave is the perception of the school system. The chief executive officer of the city has been essentially powerless to address these concerns. The mayor and common council have consistently allocated more dollars to the school district, yet the negative impression of the Buffalo schools has not faded. In fact, it only tends to grow as word of fiscal mishaps within the district spreads throughout the community.
In recent years, a judgment estimated to be in the millions of dollars has been awarded against the Board of Education of the City of Buffalo.
The district also failed to make timely application to the State for financial aid in 1998, delaying additional millions of dollars to the district. These incidents have contributed to an increasing lack of confidence in the management of the school district. By allowing the mayor to appoint two members to the Board, a new dynamic can be created within the Board. The city government will have an active role in the decision making process. It is believed the additional members will facilitate communication, increase accountability and provide proof that there will be dramatic changes in the operation of the Board.
Legislative history
1999: Referred to Rules 2000: A.8283 Referred to Education 2001/02: A.5599 Referred to Education 2003/04: A.622 Referred to Education 2005/06: A.2497 Referred to Education 2007-08: S.5724: referred to Education
Fiscal implications
There are no direct costs to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.