By David Ofshinsky
Governor Hochul’s recently proposed changes to the funding formula for Foundation Aid, the state’s primary source of local school funding, have become an election year issue.
The Governor’s proposal is a mix of reducing the increase in annual funding and scrapping the “hold harmless” clause that keeps districts funding level, despite having decreasing enrollment.
Where the current formula uses the Consumer Price Index, (CPI), currently at 3.8%, the Governor is proposing a 2.4% increase. Overall, at 2.4%, state education funding would increase by $825 million, to $35.3 billion.
Locally, Port Jervis would receive 0.8% less under the Governor’s plan, $46,866,452 instead of $47,224,074, a difference of $357,622. Warwick Valley would receive 1.3% less, $25,502,464, instead of $25,849,601, a difference of $347,137.
The Governor’s office says the changes are needed, as funding has increased by $7 billion in the past 3 years and needs to be reigned in. With all Assembly and Senate seats up for grabs in this year’s election, a chorus of candidates says the reductions will negatively impact schools.
Democratic leaders of the state Senate and Assembly will sit down with the Governor’s office and hammer out a budget by April 1. More often than not, this results in increases from what the Governor proposed.
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