Budget Info
Breaking News from Albany at EPP's Spring 2003 Budget Summit

Friday May 2, 2003

At EPP's Spring Budget Summit Steve Kaufman, chief of staff for Assemblyman Steven Sanders, reported on the recent budget agreement between the State Assembly and the State Senate. The agreement was reached without the Governor, who has threatened a veto.

The NYS Assembly and Senate have agreed to restore $1.1 billion of the Governor's proposed $1.4 billion cut to education statewide. Of this approximately $360 million was restored to New York City's schools; that is 85% of the Governor's proposed $422 million cut. The following programs are among those restored in full (to last year's funding levels):
-- Class Size Reduction
-- Universal Pre-Kindergarten ($205 million)
-- Minor Maintenance
-- After-school programs ($30.2 million)
-- SURR school funding

Also, no cuts were made to state funding for students with disabilities.

The State Senate has insisted that all of the current year STAR (School TAx Relief) increases go through (the Governor had proposed freezing them at last year's levels).

Restoration of $275 million for the Teachers' Contract was being negotiated at the time of EPP's Summit.

What's ahead:
If the Governor does veto the bill as he has threatened the legislature will have to vote to override. While the state legislative leaders are optimistic that an override will succeed, it is by no means assured.