News & Events

On March 21, 2008, in Monroe County Public School Districts v. Zyra, the Appellate Division, Fourth Department determined that the historic increases in state education funding that resulted from the Firm's long-running litigation on behalf of The Campaign for Fiscal Equity ("CFE") does not allow Monroe County to reduce its aid to local school districts. The Appellate Division's decision in the case marks a significant victory for the twenty-four suburban school districts in Monroe County and longtime STB client CFE, which filed an amicus brief in the proceeding. Last fall, Monroe County slashed by half the school districts' share of county sales tax revenues, claiming that such reductions were authorized by a statute that allows counties to fulfill their Medicaid obligations through the State's intercepting certain sales tax revenues. In its brief, CFE argued that the County's interpretation of the Medicaid intercept statute contradicts the letter and spirit of the State's major education aid increases, which are meant to supplement, not supplant, local sources of funding for public education. The STB attorneys representing CFE are Joe Wayland, Jason Stone, Lisa Rubin, and former associate Samantha Tweedy.