The New York Times - Suozzi Calls School Financing a Moral Crisis
The New York Times - Suozzi Calls School Financing a Moral Crisis
The two Democratic candidates for governor sparred yesterday over state funds for public schools, and their dispute quickly flared into a clash over which candidate had proposed more policy ideas and whether they would hold a second debate.
Thomas R. Suozzi, the underdog candidate, who is eager for another debate with his rival, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, held a news conference at City Hall in Manhattan to declare that school needs amounted to a "moral crisis."
He pledged to spend $2.5 billion more annually on New York City schools and an additional $337 million for other school districts, and also called for more charter schools, pre-kindergarten programs, and efforts to improve teacher quality.
"This is not just a funding crisis, or educational crisis, this is a moral crisis that has to compel all of us to act," said Mr. Suozzi, the Nassau County executive. "There has to be more of a sense of urgency at how desperate this problem is."
Mr. Spitzer, who is far ahead in public opinion polls and fund-raising, has proposed spending between $4 billion and $6 billion more each year on the city schools.
His spokeswoman, Christine Anderson, said yesterday that Mr. Suozzi's lower figure showed a lack of understanding of the problems highlighted in a lawsuit the state faces from the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, an advocacy group that seeks more money for the city's schools.
"A responsible candidate for governor cannot honestly say he wants to resolve C.F.E. and improve education for New York's children without committing to a solution within the $4.7-5.6 billion range mandated by the court," Ms. Anderson said.
Mr. Suozzi, who appeared pleased in an interview later to have caught the attention of the Spitzer campaign, said that Mr. Spitzer's education plan would require a major tax increase. Mr. Spitzer has said that no new taxes would be needed.
Suozzi aides also taunted the Spitzer campaign for not releasing its education plan yet. Ms. Anderson said the plan would be forthcoming in the next few weeks. She then noted a dozen issues from hunger to senior citizens' needs on which Mr. Spitzer has spoken at far greater length than Mr. Suozzi.
"You don't get points for going first, it's about the quality of the plan," she added.
Mr. Spitzer is devoting this week to publicizing his plans for more affordable housing, visiting public units in the Bronx on Wednesday and in Brooklyn yesterday.
But Mr. Suozzi said that such campaign events were insufficient to give voters an understanding of the differences between them, and he called on Mr. Spitzer to debate him on television again. Ms. Anderson said that the two had already debated on July 25 and noted, meanwhile, that Mr. Spitzer had agreed to debate John Faso, the Republican nominee for governor, before the fall general election.
http://tomsuozzi.com/news/nyt_081806/