Governor Cuomo outlined several initiatives in his State of the State address that could help families and businesses here in the North Country. I'm eager to see the details of these programs when the governor unveils his budget later this month.
But I was pleased to hear him pledge to make sure our public schools are fairly funded. There are ways to adjust the funding formula to help schools in the North Country more, and I have made leveling that playing field a priority during my time in state government.
I'm also pleased to see the governor supporting a plan to increase meal reimbursement rates to our school cafeterias. The Drive to 25 proposal would help make locally sourced food more accessible in our schools.
I’ve been at the forefront of creating and expanding the state’s Farm to School program by increasing funding for local school lunch programs. Our kids deserve a consistent source of healthy food and our farmers are looking for more chances to grow their business. Our two-year pilot program in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties has shown it is a win for students and a win for local farmers and producers when our schools have the funding needed to purchase local products. It's a model that needs to be rolled out statewide.
It’s also heartening to see the governor tackling hunger and the lack of fresh local food among New York students, from kindergarten to college, with his proposed No Student Goes Hungry Program. The expansion of the Farm to School Program is included in this agenda. The governor is proposing to double state investment in the program from $750,000 to $1.5 million, which he estimates would help 328,000 additional students if approved. Additionally, the governor has proposed requiring food pantries on all SUNY and CUNY campuses, further combating food insecurity.
Every child deserves a quality education that gives them the tools they need to succeed, no matter where they live or their background. In the North Country, our students and schools have struggled to get all the resources needed to excel. Over the next few months, I will work with my colleagues to make sure that more funding is directed to these districts to help level the playing field for our kids.
I'm also pleased with the governor's call for taking steps to mitigate the impact of the new federal tax code on New Yorkers.
For far too long, New Yorkers have been paying a heavy tax burden, including heavily subsidizing the federal government. While we’ve worked to provide much-needed relief to address our state's tax burden, including a middle class tax cut at the state level, the federal government’s cap on state and local tax deductions could cost New Yorkers up to $14 billion per year, potentially driving businesses out of our state and hurting the ones that stick it out."
