Senator Talks State Budget in Pelham

Thanks to Senator Klein Press Secretary Anna Durrett for the following:

Senator Jeffrey D. Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) delivered a presentation last night on the 2013-14 budget at Pelham High School to parents, educators, local elected officials and community members.

Senator Jeffrey D. Klein said, “With the early, bipartisan passage of the 2013-14 budget, I believe that it is important to discuss how the budget will benefit the families, businesses, workers and teachers in my district. With this budget, we’ve extended the lowest tax rates in 60 years, ensuring that hard-working New Yorkers keep more of the money they’ve earned. I am proud to say that this budget also has answered President Obama’s call to raise the minimum wage, reaching $9 per hour by 2015.

“Increasing the education budget by a billion dollars, allocating resources to targeted education programs such as universal pre-K, community schools and transportation aid, while raising the standard for becoming a teacher, are all provisions that will ensure our children get a first rate education. For Pelham’s School District, the focus on education in this budget means an increase of school aid totaling over $250,000. At a time when education budgets are tight, additional funding can go the extra mile in improving arts, math, science and technology in our schools. 

“I believe that this budget demonstrates that the work we do in Albany is grounded in benefiting the our communities, our families and most importantly, our children.”