As the state attempts to build a better proposal for June's second "Race to the Top" funding deadline, maybe they should think about cheaper chairs. Though New York's initial proposal for $831 million in school funding was hindered by lack of union support and charter reform, it also included requests for 24 "executive chairs" that cost $550 each, nine $3,000 desks and 15 printers that each cost over $1,500, according to the Post. The proposal came in 15th of the 16 finalists, with one judge saying the projected expenses "call into question NY's judgment on responsible stewardship of funds." Damn, did he just shatter your entire world view, or what?
State officials blamed Albany for the expensive requests, saying they are required to order their furniture from CorCraft—whose products are made by New York State prison inmates. However, it is still unclear why they requested the furniture they did. CorCraft's website lists office chairs starting at $210, and L-shaped desks for $523. They also didn't have to use the funding for furniture at all.
The furniture was still just a minor concern compared to the rest of the inadequate bill, which lost to Tennessee and Delaware for a share of $4.4 billion in federal education funding. Democrats for Education Reform executive director Joe Williams said, "It reminds you of rearranging executive chairs on the Titanic. The problem isn't with the chairs—it's that our ship has hit an iceberg. The application had a lot of problems—and the chairs are the least of it."
