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Legislature's Health Committee Takes Stand on School Funding
Access to health care to prompt public hearings
by Margaret Sternberg
The Chairman of the Legislature's Health Committee, Sam Oliverio, found himself in what many would consider to be an ironic position at the Committee's March 10, 2008 meeting.
Legislator Oliverio is also Vice Principal of the Putnam Valley High School and he appeared to be the foremost advocate for the County Legislature writing a memorialization of support for Assembly Bill A04746 ("Cahill Bill,") a school tax reform bill that would "make provisions for the state to assume all costs of basic quality education and for the elimination of real property taxes for the support of education." Although no Legislators were against doing so, Legislator Oliverio addressed any concerns and questions and strenuously advocated that his colleagues, when the memorialization comes before a vote of the full Legislature, pass the resolution.
Beginning his remarks in his usual self-effacing style and, at times, almost apologetic about his job, Oliverio called the ever-mounting school tax burden "ridiculous," blaming unfunded state and federal mandates as large components of the school tax burden, but not excluding salary increases as a contributing factor.
Oliverio explained that the Bill would have regions within the state specify what the cost would be to educate "a child today, 2007-8," and multiply that number by the number of students, with the state then allocating to the district the necessary funds. Funded primarily by income and business taxes, the plan would not entirely eliminate property taxes. Should a district want funds over those provided by the state formula, it would be necessary for voters to approve the monies by a super-majority vote (60 percent or higher.)
Oliverio called the Cahill Bill an "equity in education Bill," saying it equalizes the educational process throughout the state, adding that "more importantly, it would free the burden on individuals who have worked all their lives to gather their homes and now are on fixed, retirement incomes, and young people starting out…it would reduce that onerous burden that hits those very groups…with the most unfairness."
Oliverio suggested a memorialization of support for the Bill to help ensure that the Bill would get to the floor of the State Assembly for discussion. He said that Assemblywoman Sandy Galef is continuing to hold public hearings on the issue and that Senator Vincent Leibell "knows about the Bill and would like to see it get on the Floor." Oliverio said he "can't speak for Assemblyman [Greg] Ball."
Insisting that a grass roots movement was a way for the issue to gain momentum, Oliverio cautioned that the Teachers' Federation, "the most powerful union in the state" was against the Bill.
The existence of similar, competing Bills that will siphon votes from one another in acts of partisanship was brought up by Legislator Dan Birmingham, who suggested the Legislature memorialize support for all Bills that would act to rein in school taxes, a suggestion that ultimately was overruled by Oliverio, who succeeded in having the Cahill Bill approved by the Committee for memorialization. The full Legislature is expected to approve the memorialization at a Special meeting March 18.
That evening the other major concern of state residents, as Oliverio described it, was also discussed: health insurance for the under insured and uninsured. Lillian Jones, representative from the American Cancer Society, presented statistics on access to health care in the County.
Assisted by Loretta Molinari, Associate Commissioner of Health, Jones described the problem as a major public health issue, with 10 percent of the County estimated to be uninsured. Jones noted that 93 percent of Putnam County employers have fewer than 20 employees, with 67 percent having between one and four employees. Interviewing some of these employers, Jones noted that many did not offer their full-time employees health insurance due to the cost, or hired part-time employees in order to avoid the expectation that health insurance would be provided.
The "working poor," those who work but cannot afford to buy insurance for themselves and their families, are also a significant factor in the under insured and uninsured. Jones said that those on Medicaid and the wealthy generally have a better chance of being insured than those outside of those groups. She noted that the uninsured are far more likely to postpone getting medical tests, or get diagnosis and treatment and fill prescriptions than the insured, and statistics show these actions lead to a higher mortality rate among the uninsured.
The underinsured face similar issues, having access to treatment, but sometimes being financially overwhelmed by co-pays and deductibles.
The presentation led to a request for the Legislature to hold public hearings, as Westchester is doing, for residents to discuss their healthcare issues. Jones said they were looking for input not only from patients and caretakers, but from providers as well as insurers.
Oliverio immediately agreed to the idea, suggesting the Emergency Services auditorium, with Legislator Vinny Tamagna agreeing with that as the site for one public hearing, but also suggesting that another be held on the west side of the County, perhaps in the Desmond-Fish Library while Oliverio suggested the Putnam Valley High School for another.
Oliverio said that he wanted the support of the Administration for the forums and requested that a memorandum be sent regarding holding the hearings.
The April meeting of the Health Committee of the Legislature will be posted on the PCN&R's website as soon as it becomes available.
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