By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo Teachers Federation says the city school district is spending less per student compared to other New York State School districts.
BTF president Philip Rumore says Buffalo students are $33 million to $110 million behind similar state cities.
"Buffalo doesn't have $33 million or $110 million," Rumore said. "And our students don't deserve to have less then students in other cities."
Rumore says Buffalo students are being shortchanged. The BTF conducted an analysis finding the district spends $10,355 per student. Rumore says only Syracuse and New York City spend less. He says the most startling is how much the City of Niagara Falls spends per pupil. Rumore says Buffalo would need $110 million more to reach the Niagara Falls per pupil rate. He says other cities, spending more more students, have higher property tax revenues. "We are a property tax poor city. So what do you do?," he asked. "You say well, 'too bad Buffalo.' Just because your kids happen to be born in Buffalo, you can't have the same amount of the education that the other kids are getting. Well that can't be an excuse. And certainly the city can do more, but certainly they don't have $33 million to $110 million more."
Rumore says the union will be in Albany next Monday to begin lobbing for more funding. He says the BTF will launch a massive educational campaign targeted at the state Legislature.
"The state Legislature needs to understand that Buffalo does not have the resources to provide the same kind of education as the other cities are providing," Rumore said. "So what are we suppose to do. We certainly can't have a bake sale -- I mean would would have to sell a lot of cookies to make $40 million."
Rumore says what ever it takes, the state must come up with assistance. He says it is a state function, under the New York constitution, to guarantee that every child receives a sound basic education.