On Two Yes, Three No

A yes vote would appear assured on Proposal Two, which would allow the New York State Legislature to forgo printing materials that cost some $325,000 a year by distributing them in electronic form. This averages out to about 9 million pages every year and tons of waste. Lawmakers barely read most bills anyway; getting them into a format that they can access via their tablets or smartphones while on the move might actually improve the legislative process. Saving money and reducing waste makes this worthy of the public’s support. Vote yes.

Proposal Three would authorize $2 billion in borrowing to pay for school technology, including broadband, electronic boards, computers, and high-tech security. It would also provide money for pre-kindergarten facilities, moving the tykes out of temporary classroom trailers. The funding would be available to all schools, both public and private.

Though this would appear to be a feel-good, for-the-kids idea, the details are problematic. Large-scale technology initiatives have had mixed results across the country, and this proposal has been criticized for providing money for gear without doing anything to pay for instruction on how to use it. Allowing religious and other private institutions to receive public funding may be well intentioned but is misplaced. Disparities among districts should be addressed through much needed statewide changes in how education is paid for, not by handouts for expensive and quickly outdated equipment. Vote no.