Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, members of the Assembly Majority, New York City Council Education Chairman Robert Jackson, and other City Council members, parents of New York City school children and education advocates held a Friday morning news conference to urge Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the entire New York City Council to keep the promise.

Silver noted the Assembly Majority fought for and won a $622 million increase in Foundation Aid for New York City public schools. Despite the increase, this year Mayor Bloomberg shockingly reduced education spending in New York City by $180 million through mid-year budget cuts. In addition the mayor proposes an additional cut in funding of $324 million for the 2008-09 school year.

The lawmakers unveiled an Assembly resolution (K.1745) which demands the restoration of this year’s cuts and urges the Bloomberg administration to keep the promise.

“We honored our moral obligation, kept the promise to our school children and with the support of Governor David Paterson, the Assembly Majority delivered to this city historic funding for education. Lawmakers, parents and education advocates have come together today to call upon the Mayor and the City Council to keep the promise by making the investment in education that will keep this city strong and vibrant for decades to come,” said Silver.

NYC Councilmember Robert Jackson said, “Fair is fair! Our kids need fair funding. The State kept its promise to our students. I join Speaker Silver in calling on the Mayor and my colleagues in the City Council to ‘Keep the Promise’.”

Assembly Education Chair Catherine Nolan said, “We are continuing an important commitment to the children of New York State by providing the educational resources necessary to help them meet higher academic standards. Adequate resources for education mean smaller class sizes better preparation for classroom success and more pre-K programs. By working together we can ensure that our children receive the education they so deserve.”

UFT President Randi Weingarten, said, “We in the Keep the Promises Coalition cannot thank Speaker Silver and the Assembly enough for their steadfast commitment to making sure that government honors its pledge to New York City public schools. Despite daunting budget deficits, Speaker Silver worked tirelessly to get the state to go beyond its commitment and actually increase its contribution with over $600 million in new funds for city schools. And now he is going even further by using his bully pulpit and this Assembly resolution to urge the city to follow the state’s lead and keep its promises.

Campaign For Fiscal Equity Executive Director Geri Palast said “Speaker Silver and the Assembly led the successful effort to put $2.35 billion over four years, over $600 million this year, in New York City’s classrooms to benefit the neediest kids tied to a strong accountability system in resolution of the CFE litigation. The state kept their promise. We support the Speaker’s call on Mayor Bloomberg to keep his promise and restore $450 million in classroom aid. The new state dollars are to advance kids, not to plug city budgetary holes. Don’t make our kids pay for bad economic times with their futures.”

Alliance for Quality Education Executive Director Billy Easton said “Speaker Silver, Assembly Education Chair Nolan and the Assembly Majority provided the leadership in difficult times to keep the state’s promise to New York City’s school children. Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed budget cuts would break the City’s promise to raise the quality of education for every child. Now, with the able leadership of Education Chair Robert Jackson, the City Council must say no to the Mayor’s education cuts and yes to keeping the promise,”

Zakiyah Ansari, NYC Coalition for Educational Justice Parent Leader said, “Parents fought long and hard to make sure our children receive the resources they deserve. New York State, led by Speaker Sheldon Silver, kept their promise. Now, we will continue to fight to demand that the Mayor and the City Council keep their promise to our children as well.”

Council of School Supervisors & Administrators President Ernest Logan said, “I would like to thank Speaker Sheldon Silver and members of the Assembly for recognizing the importance of education and the city’s responsibility to fulfill their financial commitment to our schools. Adequate funding for New York City’s public education system is essential to New York’s livelihood. Our schools have been doing more with less for years and it’s time we were afforded the resources necessary to provide our children with the sound, equitable education they deserve.”