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[Para ver la versión en español visite aquí).
Dear Neighbors,
May is a month of movement—a convergence of remembrance, labor, and renewal.
It begins with International Workers Day, honoring those who move the world with their hands, hearts, and resolve. We close with Memorial Day, remembering those who gave everything in service to this country. In between, we celebrate mothers—the quiet architects of our lives. I think of my late mother, whose love still anchors me; my wife, who raised our three daughters with strength and grace; and my daughter, now navigating motherhood in her own way. Their care reminds me that tenderness and tenacity are not opposites—they are how we survive, and how we lead.
May also marks Mental Health Awareness Month—a call to break the silence around pain too often carried alone. True health—true justice—must include care for the mind, the spirit, and the burdens we do not always see.
These reflections ground me as I confront the challenges before us—because the policies we fight for must reflect the values we hold close. This month reminds us: what we plant with intention can bloom into something lasting.
Yet even as May calls us to honor life, labor, and growth, Albany remains mired in delay. Despite the Governor’s premature announcement of a “framework agreement,” the truth is simple: there is no final budget. Key questions around education funding, mental health care, prison staffing, and public safety remain locked behind closed doors.
At the heart of these debates is the future of Foundation Aid—the formula that determines how we fund our schools. A $1 million study was commissioned to modernize it, yet there is no consensus on how to act on its findings. As someone who stood as a plaintiff in the historic Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit—and as a lifelong education advocate—I continue to push for a funding formula that meets today’s realities: stronger support for English Language Learners, an updated regional cost index, and a deeper investment in every child’s constitutional right to a sound basic education.
Right now, school districts across New York are being asked to draft budgets blind—without knowing what support they’ll receive from the state. This is not governance; it’s a gamble. And our schools deserve better. The state budget should be a fiscal blueprint, not a political bargaining chip. It should offer vision, not confusion. Direction, not delay.
The days ahead will be decisive. And I remain steadfast—pushing, negotiating, and organizing alongside my colleagues to ensure that justice, equity, and truth are not traded away behind closed doors.
As we continue the fight for a just New York, I hope this weekend offers you a moment of peace and reflection. Thank you for your resilience, your engagement, and your belief in a better future—one we are building together.
In Unity,
RJ
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