March 5, 2012 Governor Andrew Cuomo The Capitol Albany, NY 12224 Dear Governor Cuomo, I am writing to you regarding

the distribution of school aid throughout New York State. The school aid formula is broken. I wrote to you at this time last year with severe concerns over the manner in which education funding was being provided to rural schools. While you had returned statewide school funding to 2007-2008 budget levels, many school systems within my district received funding that was far below that which they received in the 2007-2008 budget. This continues today. This discrepancy is caused by systematic flaws in the way we distribute State Aid to rural schools across New York. Again this year, schools within my district and across Upstate are facing budget shortfalls and considering eliminating teaching positions and valuable educational programming. Our economy continues to struggle, and in the era of the Tax Cap, local governments at all levels must learn to live within their means. I also feel that allowing schools to provide the best possible education they can to our students while minimizing the burden to our tax payers is impossible without providing a fair distribution of State Aid to all areas of the State through a formula that accurately represents the unique and significant challenges faced by our rural schools. The education of our children is one of the most important tasks that government fulfills and perhaps the role that has the most profound impact on the future of our state and communities. Without a comprehensive examination and overhaul of the State Aid Formula, our rural school districts, and the students they strive so hard to serve, will be permanently disadvantaged. This will effect not only the students, but the entire community. I urge you to work with the legislature to reconsider and reexamine the State Aid formula prior to the passage of the 2012-2013 budget. This is a critical juncture for rural education in New York, and now is the time for the leaders of this state to act in a responsible manner and ensure that the rural students of this state are not left behind their urban and suburban counterparts. The quality of a students education should not be determined by where they live.

As always, I stand ready and willing to work with you and your staff to come to an equitable solution to this problem. If I can be of any assistance or provide you with any additional information regarding this pressing matter, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Tony Jordan Member of the Assembly 112th District