The League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset (LWV) is joining a statewide league initiative to do an in-depth study of the way NYS public education is funded. The statewide call for this study is the result of a NYS Court of Appeals decision ordering the State of New York to provide an additional $5.63 billion over five years for operating expenses and $1.836 billion annually for five years for capital costs to the NYC Board of Education in order to guarantee that the students in New York City schools have the opportunity to receive a "Sound Basic Education."

To fulfill this mandate, the State must restructure its financing of public education. It is reasonable to assume that statewide, school districts will be affected. The league is undertaking the study of the current funding structure in order to understand this issue and be able to take a reasoned position in the upcoming debate and action in the legislature.

The complete study will extend over several months and will answer questions such as: 1) what are the revenue sources available and what is their ability to pay; 2) what is the impact of charter schools; 3) what are other states doing to finance education; 4) what is the impact of school taxes on individuals and communities? Pertinent study material and other resources will be provided to the members of the committees.

At the conclusion of the study, local league members, in conjunction with all NYS League members, will attain a consensus on their recommendations which will determine the league's lobbying efforts in education financing for the next decade.

LWV extends an invitation to participate in this study to all interested persons.

The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 12:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church on Middle Neck Road in Sands Point.

The speaker at this meeting will be Lorraine Deller, executive director of the Nassau/Suffolk School Boards Association. She will speak on the present education funding process.