Thread by @JamesSkoufis

1/12: For years, @FIT has been charging sub- & exurban counties to foot the bill for local students who attend this NYC college. Why? Despite 4yr & grad degrees + steep price tag, FIT is classified as a #communitycollege. 35 colleagues & I are urging @GovKathyHochul to fix this:

2. Dear Governor Hochul,
NYC's suburban and exurban taxpayers have long endured unfair and unjustifiable costs associated with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Despite offering very specialized and highly expensive four-year and graduate-level degrees...

3. FIT has a sweetheart deal whereby they are considered a community college – the only so-called community college in the state that offers degrees beyond the associate level...

4. As a result of this arrangement, county governments – and taxpayers – are required to pick up the “county share” of these FIT community college costs for any local residents that attend the school...

5. These taxpayer-funded costs typically exceed one-third of the student’s college bill. Due to our – the undersigned – county’s and district’s proximity to FIT, we represent many students that commute to FIT and trigger a “chargeback” to the rest of our local taxpayers...

6. Chargebacks are typically a wash when it comes to traditional community colleges – some students from Orange County will attend SUNY Rockland; some students from SUNY Rockland will attend SUNY Orange...

7. Conversely, the inherent draw that FIT is – and its astronomical price tag for a so-called community college – leads to onerous and unjustifiable costs borne by our taxpayers. Dutchess County alone, for example, paid FIT chargebacks totaling $1.3 million in 2018...

8. and that is despite the county’s significant distance from FIT. While we certainly appreciate the importance of FIT to many of our constituents, and the role it plays in their fields of work, it is fundamentally unfair for counties to pay the costs associated...

9. with a so-called community college that defies the definition of what it means to be one. As you prepare your 22-23 executive budget proposal, we respectfully urge you to (1) de-classify FIT as a community college or (2) direct the state to absorb these chargeback costs...

10. We thank you for your leadership during these challenging times and appreciate your consideration of this important matter to our mutual constituents. Sincerely,
James Skoufis, Senator, 39th District
and...

11. County Execs from Suffolk, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, & Putnam; @SenatorBiaggi, Sen. Brooks, @SenatorHarckham, @SenatorHinchey, @senatorERM, @MikeMartucciNY, Sen. Mattera, @Sueserino4ny, @TomAbinanti, @dinerdialogues, @SteveEngles, A/M Galef, @judygriffinny, A/M Jacobson...

12. @Kimjeanpierre, @CharlesLavineNY, @SteveOtis91, @AmyPaulin, @SolagesNY, A/M Stern, @kenzebrowski_ny, @KarlBrabenec, @Byrne4NY, A/M DeStefano, @lawler4ny, A/M McDonough, A/M Miller, @AsmMontesano, @EdwardRa19, @fred_thiele