Everybody Wants Some…

Who living in or around Rochester would argue with the city getting its fair share of state aid?

Just look at that show they put on at City Hall on Thursday. All those representatives from business to government to the non-profit arena. How could Mayor Bob Duffy not crow?

All those numbers and charts telling you how Rochester gets rooked when you compare the state money it gets to places like Syracuse and Buffalo. It’s a convincing case, right?

Now let’s see what you think about this story out of Long Island… the other end of this fair state.

Tom Suozzi, the Nassau County Executive (and gubernatorial candidate), says that school districts there have 7.5% of New York’s total school population. But they only get about 4% of the state’s school aid. It’s not fair, he says. He and others participating in a letter-writing campaign, want about $600 million more for those schools.

Just a fair share.

And speaking of "fair shares" – there is still the court decision looming out there that says New York City schools deserve billions more in state aid. It’s a ruling that has put some advocates in mind to take political action on legislation that would get more money to all distressed schools. And opinion-makers say – of course this should be done.

So what’s the point of all this?

Everybody has a case to make for more state aid. And individually they stand up very well. For those three cases noted above, I’m sure there are plenty more around the state. And with all these "fair share claims" being made – just where are the corresponding reductions to pay for them?

What’s that you say?

There likely won’t be reductions?

So then how will New York State really… really… get a handle on rising state expenses?

Just wondering. You have any answers?