Catholic Conference takes stands on state budget

The Conference, which represents the state's bishops on public policy matters, has already spoken out on mental hygiene, workforce issues, and housing and human services, and will address health, medicare and aging at an upcoming hearing.

The Evangelist explored the Conference's testimony on several topics of concern.

MENTAL HYGIENE

Mr. Kerry noted the Catholic Conference "believe[s] that all persons should have access to appropriate treatment, but we pay special attention to the needs of children and low-income, frail and other vulnerable persons."

He outlined the history of deinstitutionalization and cost-cutting in mental health services that left many without needed care. Today, he said, agencies struggle to find qualified staff.

Mr. Kerry suggested a host of changes:

* providing funding so that the staff-to-client ratio can be 1:20 instead of its current 1:30;

* more than the proposed 10 percent increase in Medicaid rates;

* assessment of individuals entering the criminal justice system for mental illness, developmental disability or substance abuse, and increased use of drug courts or mental health courts as alternatives to criminal courts;

* support for the Governor's proposal of a Medicaid buy-in program for people with disabilities;

* enactment of insurance parity for mental health and substance abuse services; and

* presumptive Medicaid eligibility for those who have been in prison.

"We must start by affirming the dignity of persons and enact spending policies and priorities that reinforce...the individual's dignity, our mutual obligation to one another and an overarching desire for social justice," Mr. Kerry stated.

HOUSING

"The bishops of New York State support a housing policy that includes preservation and production of quality housing for low-income families, the elderly and other vulnerable people, and the participation and partnership of residents and non-profit community groups, including religiously sponsored organizations, to build and preserve affordable housing," he stated.

Mr. Hamilton said that the state's bishops are "gravely concerned" about a proposed $25 million drop in all funds appropriations, mostly through eliminating local aid and capital projects.

In light of Catholic Charities' statistics on increased demands for housing assistance in 1999, the Catholic Conference instead proposed the following increases:

* $25 million each for the Affordable Housing Corporation and the Low Income Housing Trust Fund;

* $10 million for the Homes for Working Families program (the Governor had proposed $7 million);

* $14 million for Neighborhood Preservation Programs and $6.5 million for Rural Preservation Programs (the Governor proposed a drop to less than $12 million for the former and less than $5 million for the latter);

* support for the Governor's proposal to increase Rural Rental Assistance program funding to $20,604,000;

* rejection of a proposal to eliminate funding for the Rural and the Urban Homeownership Assistance Programs; the Conference would like to at least see current funding continue at, respectively, about $341,000 and $441,000;

* $4 million (instead of the planned $2 million) for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit; and

* $12,350,000 for the Low-Income Weatherization Program to reduce heating costs for low-income families.

EDUCATION

"The new curriculum and assessment standards set forth by the Board of Regents have placed significant challenges on students and teachers," Mr. Kerry noted. "The Regents' Academic Intervention Services requirement in particular...is proving to be very costly for all schools, public and religious alike."

While the director said the Conference is grateful for the $5 million proposed to fund these services, Mr. Kerry said the amount still "falls far short" of the needed funding. He proposed an additional $5 million to ensure that students get the required academic services.

The struggle to recruit teachers is especially challenging for religious schools, Mr. Kerry continued, where competitive salaries aren't in the budget. The director applauded Gov. Pataki's "Teachers of Tomorrow" program to train teachers but said that "enacting such an important recruitment initiative without the inclusion of religious and independent schools is not only discriminatory, it is simply unwise public policy."

Therefore, the Conference urged legislators to include all teachers in the program and to enact a "broad teacher recruitment initiative that will benefit all children."

Aside from those major issues, Mr. Kerry listed many other proposals for change:

* restoration of funding for teacher centers so that staff can increase their skills;

* better funding for transportation to schools, including transporting students further and reimbursing school districts for transporting students to religious, private and independent schools;

* establishing an education investment tax credit to stimulate private sector donations to schools;

* expanding the Learning Technology Grant program rather than keeping it at its current level;

* increasing textbook and software aid (the Governor proposed postponing the former and only a 10-percent increase for the latter);

* fully funding the universal pre-Kindergarten; and

* creating parental choice for schools: namely, a state-supported program of "tuition tax credits, vouchers or scholarships to provide families with means for selecting the school they deem best for their children."

"The Catholic bishops of New York are aware of the complexities you face as you analyze and evaluate the Governor's proposed budget," Mr. Kerry told legislators. "We ask you to take into consideration the knowledge and the experience we bring to you from our ministry in the Catholic schools of New York State."

(02-08-01) [[In-content Ad]]