The Republicans argue that the focus should be on increasing funding for schools, many of which have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent surge of illegal immigrants.
The GOP has criticized the government's decision to accommodate undocumented immigrants in schools, arguing that it compromises the quality of education for students. They have pledged to redirect the focus towards ensuring children receive an uninterrupted, high-quality education.
"The migrant crisis continues to worsen due to the Democrats' refusal to abandon misguided sanctuary city policies," stated Senate Minority Leader Roy Ortt on January 29, while announcing the legislative package. "Rather than addressing the issue, they continue to divert funds away from programs that benefit New York families, including school aid."
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Ortt emphasized that "Education should always be among the top priorities for state government," adding that "the Senate Republican Conference is committed to ensuring that New Yorkers' hard-earned tax dollars help schools secure the resources they need."
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The Senate Minority Leader criticized Hochul's proposed removal of the "hold harmless" provision, which guarantees that school districts receive no less funding than they did the previous year. He suggested that the "excessive" $233 billion budget "diverts state aid away from local schools."
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Ortt further criticized the Governor's budget, stating, "The Governor's budget is another demonstration of the total disregard for New York families and taxpayers." He added, "$4.3 billion over two years will be used to address the migrant crisis, a situation exacerbated by open borders and sanctuary city policies supported by Democrats. Simultaneously, they are stripping millions of dollars from rural and suburban school districts. We are tired of the misplaced priorities from Albany’s One-Party Rule, and our conference will fight to ensure all school districts receive the funding they deserve.”
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Senate Deputy Republican Leader Andrew Lanza supported Ortt's views, stating, "While school children fell behind due to misguided policies during the pandemic, Governor Hochul and her radical allies support spending billions of dollars on illegal migrants instead of students who deserve a top-notch education."
The budget is due for approval by lawmakers by April 1.
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