How Hochul’s budget could affect our school districts

Legislators debate cuts proposed by Hochul’s 2025 Executive Budget

How Hochul’s budget could affect our school districts

Senator Michelle Hinchey leads rally on Friday, March 22 opposing cuts to education funding in the Governor Hochul’s proposed FY 2025 Executive Budget for New York State.

Office of New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey

KINGSTON — In the final weeks of budget negotiations, State Senator Michelle Hinchey led the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), parents and school superintendents from schools across the 41st Senate District to call for changes to Governor Kathy Hochul’s Proposed Executive Budget for 2025, which cuts last year’s state record $34.5 billion in public education funding by $419 million.

The cuts would impact all of the state’s nearly 700 school districts, say opponents of the budget; they note that the cuts to education would most heavily impact high-needs districts and small, rural areas.

The cuts are due to a change Hochul has proposed to the state Foundation Aid Formula, which, at over a decade old, is still used to determine school district funding.

Schools in the Mid-Hudson region would be hit hardest by the change, with a 4.2% decrease in total funding, a cut of over $31 million dollars.

In Hinchey’s district alone (parts of Greene, Columbia and Ulster counties as well as northern Dutchess), the cuts would total $25.7 million if the proposed budget is enacted in its current form.

State Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha of Assembly district 103, which includes Red Hook, Rhinebeck, and parts of Ulster County, partnered with Hinchey in organizing the March 22 rally.

In our schools

Robert Farrier, business administrator at the Webutuck Central School District, said that if enacted, the cuts would impact Webutuck CSD’s academic programs, though which ones and how much has not yet been determined.

Elliot Garcia, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Personnel of the Millbrook Central School District, said that the proposed state budget “has certainly influenced our budget planning for the 2024-25 school year.”

He said that Millbrook CSD had also overestimated the state funding that Millbrook CSD could expect this year (school year 2023-2024) .

“Given that fact, we must plan for the coming school year as if our state aid package will be unchanged, and could potentially be reduced,” he said. He said that the problem “is further compounded by the reality that over 60% of our budget contains expense increases which are either fixed or contractually obligated.

“With that being said, we are being very conservative with our budget projections for next school year,” he said. “We continue to fine tune the proposed budget for the 2024-25 school year to identify any and all opportunities to responsibly reduce our proposed expense budget in kind in order to maintain our existing programs.”

Dr. Brian Timm, Superintendent of the Pine Plains Central School District, said, “The proposed cuts to Foundation Aid by Governor Hochul are extremely impactful to a number of school districts across the state,” including Pine Plains CSD.

He added, “I wouldn’t say at this point that anything in the proposed budget would negatively impact student lives,” but continued, “we are making adjustments to the Pine Plains CSD budget for 2024-2025.”

Timm said that Pine Plains CSD will look at adjusting some services with BOCES and faculty and staff health insurance, but would mostly offset differences by reallocating appropriations funds — “a one time cost to the district that would present a problem moving forward,” said Timm. “It’s not sustainable.”

Legislators’ alternative

On March 14, the Senate and Assembly passed a one-house budget resolution which proposes amendments to Hochul’s proposed Executive Budget including the restoration of the “hold harmless” provision, which ensures that school districts are allocated at least as much aid as they received the previous year, regardless of declines in enrollment.

The budget resolution proposes $747 million in aid to school districts throughout the state (as opposed to the $507 million increase proposed by Hinchey’s budget).

Legislators are also requesting a review of the Foundation Aid formula.

Earlier in March, Hochul’s budget director, Blake Washington, said that a revenue consensus meeting with the State Legislature determined there is $1.3 billion in tax collections coming to the state which had not been previously allocated, which could be used to negate the changes to the Foundation Aid.

“We are hopeful that some if not all of the Foundation Aid is returned for the 2024-2025 school year and that the Foundation Aid Formula is revised,” said Timm.

The final enacted budget will evolve from negotiations between Governor Hochul and the legislative branch.

The budget deadline for New York State is April 1.

Latest News

Amenia board honors employees for service

Long-term town employees were recognized at the Town Board meeting on Thursday, June 12. Honorees pictured with Town Supervisor Leo Blackman, were Judy Carlson, Office Manager at the Town Garage, center, for her 35 years of service to the town and Megan Chamberlin, current Highway Superintendent, for 20 years.

Leila Hawken

AMENIA — Acknowledging the many years of service accumulated by town employees, the Town Board paused to honor that service at its meeting on Thursday, June 12.

“Thank you for making a difference,” said Town Supervisor Leo Blackman in recognizing Judy Carlson, Office Manager at the town garage, for her 35 years of service.

Keep ReadingShow less
Historic marker dedicated at Amenia Union Cemetery

In anticipation of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution in 2026, new historic markers are appearing at each of the local cemeteries where Revolutionary War veterans are buried. Unveiling the new marker at Amenia Union Cemetery on Saturday, June 21, were left to right, Town Historian Betsy Strauss, Jim Middlebrook representing the regional chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and Gail Seymour, President of the Union Cemetery Association.

Photo by Leila Hawken

AMENIA — One by one, new historic markers are appearing at local cemeteries where Revolutionary War dead are buried. On Saturday, June 21, community members gathered to see a new marker unveiled at Amenia Union Cemetery on Leedsville Road.

A tent provided welcome shade for the attendees and refreshments as about 30 residents gathered for the unveiling and to share stories of local history with one another.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millerton Street Fair celebration June 28

Bee Bee the clown, face painters and a community wide scavenger hunt are among the activities planned for the Millerton Street Fair in Downtown Millerton on Saturday, June 28.

Photo by Aly Morrissey

MILLERTON — The Millerton News, in partnership with the North East Community Center (NECC) and the Millerton Business Alliance, is hosting its first Street Fair on Saturday in a celebration of the town.

Rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, the fair will bring together local nonprofits and businesses, with live music, entertainment, kids’ activities, local eats, and family fun in Veterans Park, in front of the Millerton Inn, and beyond.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millbrook Historical Society announces summer Quaker lecture series

The Nine Partners Road Quaker Meetinghouse, built in 1780, will be the site of two summer lectures sponsored by the Millbrook Historical Society.

Photo by Leila Hawken

MILLBROOK — Long in the planning, the Millbrook Historical Society has announced that it is sponsoring two lectures in observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Both lectures relating to Quaker history are to be held in the historic Quaker Meeting House on Nine Partners Road.

For the first talk, scheduled for Sunday, June 29, at 2 p.m., the historical society has invited Sarah Gronningsater, Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, to talk on “Quakers, Anti-slavery, and the American Revolution.” The topic will explore the role that New York’s Quakers, especially in the Hudson Valley, played in the rise of the anti-slavery movement that followed the American Revolution.

Keep ReadingShow less