Buffalo city schools are in a budget crisis to the tune of $68 million for this coming school year. According to the March 4 edition of the Buffalo News, the schools are sending a delegation to Albany to plead for more money from the state, and when they arrive, they will discover that $9 million that could have provided more teachers or extracurricular activities will go instead to helping rich women get pregnant. In a striking display of special interest pork barreling, the state of New York will fund individuals and couples in their struggles to procreate.
The story, which ran in the Feb. 27 issue of the Buffalo News, details how eligibility for this program hinges on the income of the participant. Women or couples making up to $200,000 may take advantage of the state funding, but only if they have health insurance. Prospective mothers are disqualified if they receive Medicaid, a state program for that offers assistance to citizens unable to fully support themselves. While we understand the logic in denying children to parents unable to support themselves, it is sad to see the state place the needs of those far more able to afford treatment for infertility above those in greater need of the financial assistance.
Orphanages have children in desperate need of loving homes. There are women giving themselves drugs that unnaturally begin pregnancies - if they even work - all while saying they would do anything to care for a child. With up to $200,000 a year in income, there is little chance that they would be denied the opportunity to adopt if they were sincere.
The "soccer mom" has become one of the driving political forces of the last 10 years, and because of this, increased legislation aimed at middle class families has been initiated. As past election years have proven, politicians address the needs of their most vocal and active constituents. This issue is no different, but politicians are elected to serve all constituents, not just those in the upper middle class.
There is nothing in either the federal or state constitutions, or in any statutory law, that requires citizens to have children. Accordingly, there is no such law that requires any level of government to subsidize procreation. There is, however, state law mandating that children be given an education and a constitutional basis for equal protection. Excess money in the state budget - though we fail to see where any excess could possibly lie - needs to be centered on these two needy areas.
Fiscally, this program is irresponsible and unenlightened. Spending $9 million on fertility takes money away from other areas of greater need and counters the creation of a cash surplus. The state government is going into debt, and there is no sign of federal aid on the way. While it is somewhat clich?(c), every little bit helps.
This program is effective immediately; legislators and the governor will not discuss the issue and determine whether to implement it in the face of a poor economic situation. Instead, it will begin now, with no regard to the state's debt, the municipalities' debt, the public schools' debt, the hospitals' debt or the rather pressing matter of an international war at hand, a potentially lengthy and expensive campaign depleting dollars and manpower from the workforce.
New York State must come to its senses if it is to pull itself out of financial crisis; otherwise, there will be no end to the debt, with unemployment and poor public utilities becoming the norm. SUNY is facing a tuition increase, public schools are falling apart - if they are open at all - and the best the state can come up with is fertility subsidization for financially secure women. The future looks bleak if logic like this is permitted to become the order of the day.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
