New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli addressed NYSUT’s 52nd Representative Assembly in New York City on Saturday. The comptroller, who is responsible for overseeing New York state’s public pension system, told assembled delegates that the state of their retirement is strong.
DiNapoli assured retirees, present and future, that New York state’s public retirement system is safe, strong and secure – among the best funded in America. He cited the markets for the strength of the state Teachers’ Retirement System, city Teachers’ Retirement System and Employees’ Retirement System. And he guaranteed the future of those pension plans to delegates, saying, “As long as I am state comptroller, I won’t let anyone undermine our pension security.”
DiNapoli credited NYSUT advocacy for restoring cuts to Foundation Aid from the executive budget proposal and called for a fully funded SUNY and CUNY system. Citing challenges to neighborhood public education, DiNapoli also called for the same level of accountability for charter schools that the state imposes on public schools.
He also spoke about the influence that public education has had on his family, on his parents, and on him, and how public education helped him be the first in his family to attend college. DiNapoli also said he was bullish on the state of unions, citing Michigan ditching its right-to-work law and the growth of the union movement nationwide.