The Statement: On “Say Yes to Education”

From: Democratic mayoral candidate Stephanie Miner

Type: a description of her accomplishments as a Common Councilor on her Web site. 

URL: http://www.minerformayor.com/page/meet-stephanie

What She Says:  In her issues plan Miner says: “I drafted, co-sponsored, and helped pass the Say Yes to Education program for Syracuse city schools.”

The facts:

Miner co-sponsored and co-drafted­ two pieces of Say Yes legislation along with At-large Councilor William M. Ryan, a fellow Democrat. Both ordinances provided funding to the Say Yes to education program but did not create it, according to city clerk documents.

On May 5, 2008, Miner introduced Ordinance 212 giving $1 million to the Say Yes to Education-Syracuse program. It passed unanimously in the Common Council.

After the vote, Miner was the first to comment on the legislation. “I would like to state for the record that the sun shines metaphorically. The city is giving  $1 million to the Say Yes to Education Foundation. We are working with the school district, the mayor and other city partners. It is a pleasure to move as a team. This is one of my proudest moments on the Common Council."

On May 6, 2009, the Common Council also passed another education measure that Miner also co-drafted and introduced. That was Ordinance 167, which provided an additional $250,000 to support another Say Yes facet, with pre-kindergarten programs.

Background on Say Yes in Syracuse

The Say Yes program began in Syracuse in the fall of 2008 as a collaboration among the national Say Yes Inc., the Syracuse School District and Syracuse University. Initial funding came from the school board and Syracuse Inc. The group launched the first phase last fall, said Mike Hennessy, Coordinator of Communication for the Syracuse School Board. Initial

The National Say Yes program began in 1987 in Philadelphia. Additional chapters formed in Cambridge, Mass., and Hartford, Conn. and New York City. Syracuse is the first chapter to include an entire city school district.

Conclusion:

Miner did co-draft and co-sponsor two Say Yes to education funding bills that were passed by the Common Council, according to the council’s minutes and legislative records. She worked closely with At-large Councilor William Ryan on both ordinances.

Her contribution and subsequent legislation provided funding for Say Yes. But the program itself came to Syracuse city schools in the fall of 2008. The wording on her Web site is imprecise in suggesting she was the sole drafter and creator of the program.

(Julia Terruso is a junior majoring in newspaper journalism and political science.)

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