To the Editor:

Last week, all of the property owners in the Guilderland School District received their tax-freeze rebate checks.  Ours was a big whopping $56 and was a “reward” for the school board staying under the 2-percent tax cap.  But it got us thinking, what is the cost of this check?

Since the 2009-10 school year, the state has deducted from its school aid obligations an amount known as the Gap Elimination Adjustment.  The reason the state took this action was because of its own budgetary constraints in the wake of the Great Recession.  But now, with a projected $4.2 billion state surplus, the state is not expected to meet its school funding obligations and the GEA is expected to continue for at least four more years.

What has this meant to Guilderland schools? Well, according to the district, the GEA has cost Guilderland Schools $19.5 million over five years, which is an average of $3.9 million per year.

The district is also projecting a $1.5 million deficit for the next school year.  The district has proposed closing an elementary school to close this gap, but simple math dictates that the elimination of the GEA eliminates our district’s deficit and saves all our elementary schools. 

In order to solve its fiscal mess, the state passed the burden onto our schools.  At the same time, it restricted local decision-making and imposed the 2-percent tax cap.  Now that its fiscal situation has improved, the state continues to shirk its responsibility to its schools, and sends out these token checks.  

We think it would have been wiser for the state to have kept our $56 and fulfilled its funding obligations to our schools.  That’s why we’ve decided to donate our check to SaveGuilderlandSchools.org.

We hope that all of you visit the website to learn about the issues facing our schools and to get involved.  On Nov. 19, the district is holding a summit, to discuss these issues and to discuss solutions.  RSVPs to the event are due by Nov. 10.  You can learn more about the summit on the district’s website at GuilderlandSchools.org.  We hope to see you there.

Bridget and John Scally

Altamont