The governor’s office today rebuffed an effort by Assemblyman Philip Ramos (D-Brentwood) to deliver more than 2,000 postcards from community leaders, school officials, concerned parents and their children urging the governor not to cut education. Ramos instead was told to take them to the Capitol mailroom. Click here to see photos of Assemblyman Ramos’ efforts to deliver the community’s message to the governor.

“The governor’s refusal to listen to what the people of my district have to say is an outrage,” Ramos said. “It is an insult to the hundreds of citizens who are concerned about the future of our schools, and an insult to all of New York’s students.”

Community members are extremely concerned how the Brentwood, Bay Shore, Central Islip and Islip school districts will be affected by the governor’s proposed $1.4 billion cut to education funding.

“Our schools are already overcrowded and underfunded. The eager young minds they try to shape are starving for their fair share of educational resources,” Ramos said. “The severe cuts the governor proposed will certainly devastate our children’s education – but today he turned a deaf ear to those who took the time to write him about this vital matter.”

Ramos was joined by Barbara Bracciodeta, president of the Central Islip PTA and Joe Albertus of the Brentwood Civic Association.

“I feel that Governor Pataki should restore state aid to our schools because these children are our future, and a cut to education is only going to create more problems,” Bracciodeta said.

“During his campaign, the governor reached out to our community, speaking Spanish and playing up his commitment to our schools, our children, our families. With a glad hand he gave us many promises,” Ramos said. “Where is his concern now?”

“I don’t recall the governor saying during his re-election campaign that he was going to cut education funding,” said Bracciodeta.

“Our community is already overburdened with high taxes. Pushing the fiscal implications of this education cut down to local governments will be absolutely devastating to our community,” said Albertus.

“The overwhelming response by community members shows how much concern there is with the governor’s education cuts,” Ramos said. “All we want is to give our children a chance to reach their full potential by providing them with a quality education.”