• Testimony on Governor’s Budget on Elementary and Secondary Education Finance (1/23/2012)
  
  
• Testimony about Governor’s Proposed Education Budget (2/16/2011)
  
  
• Testimony about Governor’s Proposed Education Budget (2/2/2009)
  
  
• Testimony at Senate Forum (12/19/2008)
  
  
• Testimony for Roundtable Discussion on the Role of Real Property Taxes in Education Finance
  Hosted by Assemblywoman Galef  (9/21/2006).  Although this testimony was presented a number of years ago, it presents a good summary of the League’s position on the role of real property taxes in the funding of education.

• Memorandum in Opposition to Governor ’s Program Bill 62  (9/4/2008)

• The Cost of a Sound Basic Education in New York and How to Finance It (2006)
  This Power Point was prepared for our consensus study. It contains a good explanation of how New York State funded its schools prior to adoption of the foundation approach to funding education. Given that the foundation formula has yet to be fully implemented, the information still has some relevance as a discussion of the problems encountered in the finance of education in New York State.

• Analysis of School Finances in New York State School Districts, 2006-07
  The University of the State of New York, The State Education Department, Fiscal Analysis and Research Unit (FARU) (2009). This analysis by the State Education Department contains a wealth of information about school finance. It is updated in January of each year, to reflect the current system of education finance.
  
  
• State Aid to Schools: A Primer Pursuant to the Laws of 2009, The University of the State of New York, The State Education Department, Fiscal Analysis and Research Unit (2009)
  This analysis by the State Education Department contains a wealth of information about school finance. It is updated in July of each year to reflect legislative changes adopted during the session.
  
  
• Regents 2009-10 Proposal on State Aid to School Districts (2008)
  This document is required reading for an understanding of the state aid required to provide adequate educations for the state’s children.

Over the past two years, many bills have been introduced to expand the New York State circuit breaker in accordance with League recommendations.  However, none of the bills have proposed replacement of the STAR programs with the enhanced circuit breaker, as recommended by the League.  For a list of recently-introduced Circuit Breaker Bills and history of each, prepared by the Fiscal Policy Institute.

• League Joins Diverse Groups to Urge State Leaders to Put Brakes on New Tax Cap Plan (6/1/2011)
• League Joins Groups Urging State Leaders to Support Real Property Tax Relief (Circuit Breaker) (5/10/2011)
  The groups are urging state leaders to broaden the discussion to include tax relief measures that would link property taxes to individual income in the form of a circuit breaker.
  • League Press Statement
    
    
• League Weighs In on Tax Caps and Circuit Breaker  (9/4/2008)

• Tax Caps in NYS: Meaningful Relief or Snare and Delusion (11/14/2011)
  Presentation by Betsey Swan, LWVNYS President, New Paltz
  
• Tax Cap Opponents Shift Tactics, Times Union (11/14/2011)
• The School Tax Relief (STAR) Program and Other Mechanisms to Reduce the Pain of School Property Tax  (2006)
  Although the STAR  Program has changed since this document was produced, it is still a good introduction to the program.

• Property Tax Circuit Breakers: Fair and Cost-Effective Relief for Taxpayers, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, (2009).
  An excellent discussion of different varieties of tax relief programs.
  
  
• The Variety of Property Tax Limits : Goals, Consequences.amd Alternatives, Youngman, Joan, State Tax Notes, (November 19, 2007)
  
  
• Property Tax Relief: The Case for Circuit Breakers, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, (2010).
  An update in support of circuit breaker relief, which the authors argue is even more imperative in light of the current recession.
  

• Charter School Power Point, (CD) (2006)
  This presentation was prepared for the consensus study. Many of the issues raised are still pertinent to charter schools.

• Summary of the Charter School Act of 1998.
  Although the Charter School Act has been amended since this was written, it still contains a good basic description of New York charter schools.
  
  
• THE CHARTER SCHOOL DEBATE: Full Of Sound And Fury, But What Does It Signify?This paper was prepared for the charter school study. It explains how charter schools operate in New York State and outlines some of the issues concerning charter schools.

• See the Charter School Website of the New York State Department of Education of Education at, www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/. For information on a range of charter school issues see, www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/faq . For annual charter school reports see, http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/report.

• Symposium at Marist College: Financing Education in New York State (DVD) (2005)  This discussion was taped  for our consensus study.  It contains a good explanation of how New York State funded its schools prior to adoption of the foundation approach to funding education.  Given that the foundation formula has yet to be fully implemented, the information still has some relevance as a discussion of the problems encountered in the finance of education in New York State.
  
  
• Taped Interview with E.J. McMahon of the Manhattan Institute and Frank Mauro of the Fiscal Policy Institute (CD)  (2006)  This is a comprehensive discussion of the wisdom of the STAR program, as discussed by both  liberal and  conservative commentators.