State budget cuts to education too deep

I am very disappointed at the state budget deal ["Still more to do for state leaders," Editorial, April 1].

I thought the purpose of the legislature was to openly debate issues important to New York. Instead, we have another backdoor deal from three people. This is not my idea of democracy.

While school districts need to learn to deal with fewer resources, these cuts to education are too deep for one year, especially when the state is mandating massive increases in pension contribution rates.

Cutting education and other critical spending for real people is unconscionable, while giving the rich another tax cut by allowing the top tax rate to go down.

Allowing Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), a member of a large trial law firm, to reject a cap on malpractice lawsuits is a ridiculous conflict of interest and bad public policy.

Robert Kleinman

Port Washington