Editors’ note: This press release was provided by State Senator-elect Alessandra Biaggi.

State Senator-elect Alessandra Biaggi (District 34, Bronx/Westchester) issued the following response to Governor Cuomo’s Dec. 17 speech:

“I will join the Governor in working to pass laws to protect women’s right to choose and access to contraceptives, to legalize marijuana, to fully fund the MTA, to strengthen gun control laws, to increase access to voting, to pass the Dream Act and other protections for immigrants, to protect our climate by reducing carbon use and I hope much more.

“Making sure our schools are fully funded is a fundamental responsibility of the State. We need smaller classes, more programs for English language learners, summer school and after school programs. These all cost money and our children are worth the investment.  Funding the foundation aid formula is the remedy our schools need. Our job is to figure out what it will take to make sure every school in New York is an excellent school and every child in every zip code is offered an excellent education, and then deliver nothing short of that.”