Schools to Receive Delayed State Aid

School officials throughout the region are breathing a sigh of relief following the release of $750 million in aid to schools withheld last month because of New York’s fiscal woes.

Gov. David Paterson told an Albany news conference January 15 the money was available because state revenue picked up this month. Paterson had delayed the payments in December, when New York faced the possibility of running out of money at the end of the calendar year.

The delay in payments approved in the current budget led school organizations to sue Paterson to restore the aid.

Although checks will soon be in the mail, the governor warned that New York’s fiscal troubles were far from over: “An additional $12 billion in payments is due in March—payments that may be deferred again, depending on the state’s fiscal condition.”

Putnam-Northern Westchester BOCES Superintendent Dr. James Langlois called the news good that the governor has “come to his senses by realizing that obligations needed to be met.”

Langlois remains concerned that Paterson believes such action is legal and proper: “As anyone working with a school district knows, understanding the resources available and making commitments based on that understanding, the governor can’t continue to jerk around school systems. We appreciate the governor’s courage but he communicates the message in ways that are more disruptive than productive. The release of the funds is a critical action for our districts.”

Despite the release of the funds, the Carmel School District is remaining extremely cautious and has imposed a freeze on spending for the remainder of the 2009-10 school year.

Superintendent Dr. James Ryan said “although we budgeted carefully, the district must meet its financial obligations in the education of children with the quality of programs continuing to be of the highest order.”

Because of the uncertainty in Albany, the Carmel Board of Education decided to refrain from making any purchases deemed as non-critical. Ryan said the school would also continue to investigate and take advantage of cost saving measures where ever possible: “We have always been fiscally responsible to our taxpayers. Now we are placing this extra measure in place to address any unexpected revenue shortfall.”

Meanwhile the executive director of the New York State School Boards Association Timothy Kremer told the Courier in a telephone interview: “We are pleased that the governor has agreed to spend the money and pay back our schools.”

Kremer said while securing funding for schools was a “critical component of the School Boards Association lawsuit, we remain concerned about the governor’s viewpoint that he has the ability to delay payments in the future—even against the will of the legislature.”

State Senator Vincent Leibell personally thanked the governor for releasing the funds: “Our school districts had budgeted on the basis of having those dollars available. It was critical for them to get these monies. We all realize these are difficult economic times but I am nevertheless extremely pleased that he has released the $750 million.”