 |
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, September 29, 2003
Randy Daniels on Need for "Total" Education Overhaul
Randy Daniels is Governor Pataki’s secretary of state and a member of the Commission on Education Reform. As The New York Sun
reported on Friday, Mr. Daniels wants to give parents more choices in education, including the use of tuition vouchers in certain
districts - an idea that has traditionally been the “third rail” of New York politics. He recently spoke with the Sun’s Albany
correspondent, William F. Hammond Jr.
Q & A
Q: You were just recently appointed to the governor’s Task Force on Education Reform. What would you would like to see come out
of that?
A: I would like to see - and I certainly intend to forcefully advocate for - top-to-bottom, comprehensive, thorough reform of public
edcation in New York.... It is not just about the money. It’s about accountability. It’s about governance. It’s about standards of
excellence. It’s about making sure that the resource gets to the classroom. It’s about making sure that we have competent teachers....
We need a total overhaul of public education in New York State.
Q: Do you support giving parents tuition vouchers to attend private schools?
A: I support vouchers subject to local approval. I believe that districts should be able to opt into vouchers if they want to.
Q: Is that something that will be on the table at the governor’s task force?
A: It’s certainly something. I’m going to put on the table. I think we need to expand competition as much as possible because that
is the only way we are going to get meaningful, sustainable reform. Competition is what is missing. So I want to see vouchers.
I would like to see the cap on charters expanded. I’d like to see that expanded as high as 700 charter schools in the state;
right now it’s 100. I believe that charters and vouchers and every available tool we can give a parent to educate their kid,
we should provide that.
Q: What can the state do to get its economy out of its doldrums?
A: I think New York’s problems are reflective of 9/11 as well as the national economy and some of our own long-term
structural problems that we have to address. We are not competitive as a state. Our taxes are still too high.
The cost of living is still too high. And we still have a system of education that is failing substantial numbers
of people in this state. That is not a recipe for economic progress. We have to become competitive. We have to continue
to lower taxes. We have to take the burden of regulation off of businesses, especially small business.
... We have to invest in our people to make sure we have a well-trained work force, which is essential, I believe,
to our long-term economic health. We also cannot spend money we do not have. Therefore, we must look at size of government
and make sure that we are running it efficiently and wherever we can we need to cut costs.
The long-term economic picture for New York State, if we do these things, will be quite healthy.
If we fail to do them, we will pay a price.
Q: People are anticipating that the target for raising taxes next year will be businesses. How do you feel about that,
and what if anything can the administration do to prevent it?
A: I believe we have to grow our way out of our economic difficulties. We cannot tax our way out. The tax burden on people and
businesses is already too high. If we continue to raise taxes, we’re cutting off our nose to spite our face.
Q: The governor and the Republican majority leader of the Senate, Joseph Bruno, had major disagreement over the budget. More recently, the governor and
the Republican mayor of New York City are fighting over a plan to refinance New York City’s debt. What does this say about the health
of the Republican Party?
A: What it says is that we have a governor who understands economics and is determined to hold the line on
taxes. I think that’s what it says. Other Republicans have to get that message. Your name comes up as somebody who might become
a candidate for statewide office in the future.
Q: What are your plans?
A: I am exploring my options. I will make a determination at some point. I can tell you this: I will definitely not be a candidate
in 2004. ...I probably will be a candidate in 2006. If Governor Pataki runs for another term, I will support him fully. If Rudy
Giuliani runs for governor as a Republican, I will support him. However if neither of them run, I will be a candidate more than
likely for that office. If one of them does run for governor, I will look at another office.
Q: You switched to the Republican Party a year ago. What can the party do ----having made some inroads with the Hispanic vote in the
last governor’s race ----- to attract more black voters?
A: What the Republican Party has to do is extend its hand to all communities in New York. Under Governor Pataki, we have been
doing that, and that party has been benefiting. But the Republican Party also has to build its strength in traditionally
Democratic neighborhoods, because that hasn’t happened. ... I think that’s the right thing to do. I think it’s also smart politics,
because if you look at the numbers, where the population is growing is our urban areas.
|
|
|
|
