Public schools brace for additional funding cuts

Districts knew their state funding would likely decrease this year.

But COVID-19 could create additional cuts.

TENS OF THOUSANDSOF NEW YORKERSWHO WORK FOR THESTATE WILL NOT BEGETTING PAYCHECKSTHIS WEEK.THAT'S BECAUSE THESTATE BUDGET..

DUEBY MIDNIGHTTONIGHT..

WON'T BEPASSED.THERE WILL BE SOMEBIG CHANGES TOSPENDING PLANSBECAUSE OF THECOVID-19 CRISIS.ONE OF THE HARDESTHIT AREAS..EDUCATION..SCHOOL LEADERSTELL 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER ALITOUHEY..

THEY'REPREPARING FOR ATSUNAMI..SOT :06LAURRIE: IN N.F., WECAN'T AFFORD TO CUTPROGRAMS ORPEOPLE.

OUR KIDSNEED EVERYTHINGTHEY HAVE.CONCERN COMINGFROM NIAGARA FALLSCITY SCHOOLSUPERINTENDENTMARK LAURRIE AS HEAWAITS FINAL FIGURESFOR HIS DISTRICT'SSTATE AID.

LAURRIESAYS HE WASANTICIPATING 1 POINT8 MILLION FOR THE2020-2021 SCHOOLYEAR.

THAT'S DOWNFROM ROUGHLY 3POINT 8 MILLIONLASTYEAR.BUT NOW EVEN THATIS NO GUARANTEE.SOT :10LAURRIE: EVERYTHINGHAS GONE UP.

FROMTHE COST OF LIVING,TO CONTRACTS, SO TOEVEN THINK ABOUTHAVING TO REMOVETHE $1.8 MILLION ISDISCONCERTING.LAURRIE SAYSTHEY'RE NOWCONSIDERINGTAPPING INTO THEDISTRICT'S RESERVEFUND TO MAKE ENDSMEET.SOT: 06LAURRIE:UNFORTUNATELY, WEDON'T HAVE THATMUCH MONEY FOR ARAINY DAY AND IT'S ATSUNAMI RIGHT NOW.HE SAYS WORSTCASETHEY WOULDALSO CONSIDERELIMINATINGPOSITIONS THROUGHATTRITION.SOT :07EVEN DOING THAT:DIPPING INTORESERVES AND NOTFILLING RETIREMENTSSTILL MAY LEAVE US ALITTLE BIT SHORT.WESTERN NEW YORKLAWMAKERS ALSO SAYTHEY'RE DOING ALLTHEY CAN TO KEEPFUNDINGFLAT..ALTHOUGHSOME SAY EVEN THATDOESN'T GO FARENOUGH.SOT :10SEAN RYAN: THEIREXPENSES GO UPBETWEEN 3-4% A YEAR.SO, IF WE HOLD THEMFLAT, IN REAL DOLLARSTHAT MEANS A 4%DECREASE FOR THEM.SOT :05ANGELO MORINELLO:IT'S UNFORTUNATE.BUT, WE'RE REALLY IN APOSITION WHERE WEDON'T KNOW.A SPOKESMAN FORTHE DIVISION OFBUDGET SAYS CUTSMUST BE MADEACROSS THE BOAIC LIKELYFACES A 10 TO 15BILLION DOIAGARA FALLS,ALI TOUHEY, 7EWN.