Democratic mayoral candidate John Tonello today outlined his "Great City, Great Schools Collaborative," a seven-point plan to better link Elmira city government and the Elmira City School District to form a strong partnership for growth.
"You can't have a great city without great schools," Tonello said. "As mayor, I will seek to meet regularly with Elmira City Schools Superintendent Raymond Bryant, and look for ways for City Council and the School Board to work together to solve problems. That's what my 'Great City, Great Schools Collaborative' is all about."
Key points of Tonello's "Great City, Great Schools Collaborative" include:
- An "Elmira Reads" program to promote literacy citywide
- Tax breaks for teachers who buy homes near their schools
- Renewed efforts to "dedensify" neighborhoods
- A zero-tolerance policy for truancy
- Strong support for the Elmira Police Department's Youth Services Division
- A youth summer job, volunteer and mentoring opportunities program
- A new "Hire an Elmiran" program to promote Elmira workers
"These efforts will underscore the importance of education to this city; and help draw to Elmira new residents, teachers, and families looking for a great educational community," Tonello said. "These efforts also will help Elmira appeal to businesses looking for skilled workers because these efforts show we're serious about education."
Today's students are tomorrow's citizens, and the city has a responsibility to help make sure they have the skills to succeed and the skills employers want, Tonello said. The quality of schools also is a prime factor in the decisions people make when they're deciding where to live. Elmira schools have gotten a bad rap, and that hurts the city, Tonello said.
"I agree when Dr. Bryant says Elmira schools are better than their reputation," Tonello said. "The state's School Report Card confirms that. We must work together to improve our schools and our city, and spread that positive message. This is a great place to live. It's a great place to raise children. It's a great place to go to school."
As one of the area's largest employers with an annual budget of nearly $100 million, the schools also are a major force in the community, Tonello said. "As a city, we need to reach out and do what we can to help our schools succeed."
That may also mean looking at ways to help the city and school district share the costs of services they have in common, much like ideas to share services with the county and towns, Tonello said.
