New York's highest court ordered the state on Monday to increase its funding for the New York City school system by at least $1.93 billion per year to provide "a sound, basic education."Great decision. Too bad the Court can't print the money that will be used to enforce the decision. It's left to Albany to figure out how to raise taxes in such a way that will not alert too many people and realize that instead of cutting the fat in the budget, we're now feeding the education monster.
That is billions less than had been sought in a 1993 lawsuit filed by an advocacy group called the Campaign for Fiscal Equity.
The group had argued that crumbling buildings, insufficient operating aid per pupil, too few laboratories and a large number of uncertified teachers combine to deprive New York City's 1.1 million students of a sound education.
This isn't to say that the City wasn't shortchanged for decades, as the city paid more to Albany than it received back. That's redistribution at its finest.
New Yorkers should be thankful that the Court didn't side with the CFE, which was seeking $6 billion more for education.
Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer will have quite a fun time trying to figure out how to wring that extra $1.93 billion for NYC schools.
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