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MAYORS REACT TO GOVERNOR' S EDUCATION CUTS
Leaders call Governor's Priorities Misplaced

Providence - Three Rhode Island mayors – Mayor David N. Cicilline of Providence, Mayor Scott Avedisian of Warwick, and Mayor A. Ralph Mollis of North Providence, sat in the audience this evening listening to Governor Donald A. Carcieri present the fiscal ’04-‘05 State of Rhode Island Budget Address.  They responded sharply and in unison to the Governor’s plans to slash education funding.

“The Governor has set the wrong priorities.  At a time when other states are increasing their share of aid to education, the Governor’s Budget proposes that we head in the opposite direction, cutting the state’s share of education costs,” said Mayor Cicilline. 

“As chief executives of our respective cities and towns, we fully appreciate the challenge our Governor faces in managing state government and in creating a fair, thoughtful and responsible budget.  It is because we deal with these issues every day, that we understand the difficult job he has to do, and voice our strong disagreement with this budget,” Mayor Cicilline said. “Our collective priority must be providing quality, public education to our youth, and the state assuming its rightful responsibility.” 

“How is it that neighboring Massachusetts and Connecticut are increasing their state’s share of state aid to education - to ease the pressure on resident property taxpayers – while Rhode Island is decreasing theirs,” Mayor Scott Avedisian said.  “ Rhode Island is on a poorly conceived course in financing public education, increasing the burden on our property owners.”

The Mayors raised concern about the growing reduction in state aid to education.  In years past, they noted, the State of Rhode Island was working towards a 60/40 funding of public education – with the State assuming the larger fiscal responsibility.

“Regretfully, the Governor’s budget is an unaffordable property tax increase on all Rhode Islanders, and jeopardizes the education of our children,” noted Mayor A. Ralph Mollis of North Providence. 

The Mayors underscored their position by noting a recent RIPEC report, which said:

• RI is 43^rd in the nation for the amount of money the State contributes to support local communities 
• Local property taxpayers contribute nearly 60% of the State’s public school spending. 
• Relying on the property tax to fund the majority of school costs builds in inequities, making it difficult to ensure all taxpayers are treated fairly
• RIPEC predicted accurately that the municipal contribution will grow this year, while the State’s share of public education drops again.  In fact, with a 38.3% state share, this is the lowest level of support since a decade ago (1994)
• Urban schools face challenges the rest of the State does not – more than ½ of the net growth in enrollment has taken place in the urban core, where poverty, language support and special education needs are the greatest.  
• RIPEC says “flaws in the State’s education financing system call for fundamental reform  …  the State must include mechanisms that reflect the needs of students.”

The mayors agreed that as municipal leaders, they are dependent upon an unpredictable and unfair State formula that has them guessing year-to-year on what aid is being distributed.  They said officials must then frenetically plan for school services for the upcoming year, and how taxpayers will deal with the impact.

“Guaranteeing that the children of our state have a quality public education is our most important responsibility.  Our future depends on this.  Without good schools, we will not achieve real economic development, strong neighborhoods and a prosperous city,” Cicilline said.

 “A fairly and fully funded public education means children get the jump-start they need to become independent and fully productive residents.   It means they have the skills necessary to compete in an increasingly technological, global community; that they are able to find good, decent-paying jobs in this state and region and contribute as taxpayers and stakeholders to our communities,” Avedisian concluded.

Mayor Mollis said the three mayors will continue to meet along with other mayors and town administrators to discuss ways in which they can work with the Rhode Island General Assembly and Governor, to discuss ways to create a fair and equitable funding formula for education

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