Assemblywoman Russell seeks to eliminate harmful education cuts

             Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) has attended a series of meetings with North Country Superintendents to discuss the challenges facing North Country school districts ahead of state budget negotiations.  Russell signed a letter, along with dozens of her legislative colleagues, to the governor before he presented his budget requesting that he provide $1.9 billion in additional funding to schools this year.  She is now fighting for that funding level to become a reality in the final budget.

            “It is clear that our schools cannot afford another year of cuts,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “If we are serious about preparing our students to compete and be successful in the world economy, we have to end the Gap Elimination Adjustment and begin to reverse its harmful cuts.”

            Implemented as a temporary fix in 2010 to close a state budget deficit, the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) has cost schools across New York more than $8 billion in lost state aid. To offset the cuts, school districts across the North Country have been forced to lay off staff, resulting in increased class sizes and the elimination of business, literacy, foreign language, advanced placement, sports, art and music programs.

            “These cuts have gone on for far too long and our schools are hurting,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “It’s time to end this tax on our schools so they can provide the programs that keep our students engaged and have the opportunities necessary to enable our students to be successful.”

            In addition to fighting to eliminate the GEA, Assemblywoman Russell noted that she has authored a bill to address inequities in the state’s school aid formula. New York is ranked near the bottom in the country when it comes to funding equity, sending too much money to wealthy districts and not nearly enough to poorer districts.  The bill, A.4609, known as the School Funding Equity Act, alters the formula to more accurately represent a district's financial situation, erases the requirement that all schools receive aid and places more emphasis on how many children in a district qualify for free and reduced-price lunches.

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Assemblywoman Russell’s bill to help veterans who endured sexual trauma passes Assembly

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced that legislation she authored requiring the state Division of Veterans’ Affairs to provide assistance to veterans who experienced military sexual trauma (MST) during their military service (A.7086) passed the Assembly today.

Military sexual trauma refers to sexual assault or harassment that took place during a veteran’s service against his or her will. This bill would require the state Division of Veterans’ Affairs to devise a plan to provide assistance and benefits for veterans who experience MST while on active duty or during military training. The legislation would also require county and city veterans service agencies, including the Jefferson County Veterans Service Agency and the St. Lawrence County Veterans Department, to report information on MST.

“MST is an extremely serious issue that unfortunately has been on the increase and demands action,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “The time is now to get serious about addressing this issue and provide a support system for our brave servicemembers so they can recover and regain a sense of normalcy.”

Over 85,000 veterans received treatment for injuries or illness sustained as a result of MST in 2012 alone. Additionally, a Pentagon report for Fiscal Year 2012 – the most recent data available – found a 6 percent rise in reported assaults over the last year, for a total of 3,374; however, roughly 26,000 cases of MST were anonymously reported.[1] The disparity between these numbers highlights the gross underreporting of the sexual abuse that our military servicemembers experience, Assemblywoman Russell noted.

“As chair of the Women Veterans Subcommittee and a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I understand that our servicemembers can no longer afford inaction on this issue” Assemblywoman Russell said. “I urge members of the Senate to join us in support of this bill; we owe it to our servicemen and women to get this law in place.”

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[1] http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/06/18090415-pentagons-annual-report-on-sexual-assault-shows-alarming-rise?lite

Assemblywoman Russell supports delay of Common Core testing

            “I fully support the proposal made today by Speaker Sheldon Silver and Education Committee Chair Cathy Nolan regarding high stakes Common Core testing and student data sharing. While the intent of Common Core is laudable, it has been clear for some time now that its implementation has left students and teachers frustrated by poorly designed materials, flawed programs and inappropriate testing. As a mother, I know that each child is special and no two children learn in the same way. A moratorium on high stakes, Common Core testing will allow teachers to return their focus to developing students’ skills and understandings while we work to develop a curriculum that works for all our children.”

            “I also have grave concerns about the electronic sharing of sensitive student data with a private, third party company. Until we have more safeguards in place to ensure the security of this data and more answers about exactly how this information will be used, this plan should be put on hold."

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Assemblywoman Russell announces additional HEAP funding available

Encourages those in need of assistance to apply

            Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced that the federal government has approved $50 million in additional funding for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), enabling more North Country families to receive benefits into February.

            “This has been a tough winter even by North Country standards and has pushed many family budgets to the brink as they try to heat their homes,” said Assemblywoman Russell said. “Thankfully, the federal government has recognized the urgency of the situation and provided additional funding to help our friends and neighbors through this challenging winter.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released $454 million in funding to states, boosting New York’s HEAP allowance by a much-needed $50.6 million. The recent increase brings the state’s total for the 2013-14 heating season to more than $366 million.

Eligibility for HEAP relies on numerous factors, including income, household size, the primary heating source and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older or permanently disabled.

HEAP also assists low-income homeowners with repairing or replacing any damaged or non-functioning heating equipment, including furnaces, boilers or other direct-heating components necessary to keep the home’s heating source functional. HEAP benefits could cover the incurred cost of such repairs or replacements, up to $6,500.

Eligible households in New York may receive one regular HEAP benefit per season and could also be eligible for an emergency benefit if they are at risk of running out of fuel or having their utility service turned off. HEAP assistance has already been provided to more than 1.3 million New York households this winter, and there are still households in need of assistance according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

Those who think they may be eligible should visit myBenefits.ny.gov or reach out to their county social services department in Jefferson County at 782-9030 or in St. Lawrence County at 379-2111. For more information about HEAP, visit otda.ny.gov/programs/heap.

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