SENATOR FLANAGAN PUSHES MEASURE TO EXPAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY

Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) announced that legislation he sponsored to provide taxpayers with greater insight into their school district’s expenditures and add greater transparency to school budgets has passed the New York State Senate.

The measure would require a majority of school districts in New York State to make an itemized summary of their budgets, expenditures and revenues publicly available. The information would need to be updated in a timely manner and be accessible in both print and electronic form when possible.

The exact nature of the information necessary would be decided by the New York State Department of Education.

Senator Flanagan sponsored the measure to give taxpayers greater information about their school district and to let residents know that their tax money is being utilized correctly.

"Those who pay the bills should know where their tax money is going. This is public information that should be easily accessible and this legislation will open up the process to provide all taxpayers with the confidence they deserve," stated Senator Flanagan. "On the other side, this openness will allow school leaders who are financially responsible to be publicly acknowledged and that will increase public trust."

The legislation, which is sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblyman Steve Englebright, would exempt schools in cities that have a population of over one million.

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