State Legislature Delivers for Yonkers [Yonkers Times]

On, March 31, the Yonkers State Legislative Delegation voted to pass a state budget that secured significant funding for Yonkers Public Schools. Leading up to the budget deadline, YPS officials estimated a $40 million to $60 million budget shortfall for the 2019-20 school year.

Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Chairwoman of the State Senate Education Committee Shelley Mayer, Chairman of the Westchester Delegation Assemblymember J. Gary Pretlow, and Assemblymember Nader Sayegh worked with Yonkers officials and the governor’s office to secure a down-payment toward the YPS budget shortfall.

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The State Legislative Delegation secured an additional $27,500,000 for YPS, including $12 million in Bullet Aid, $11 million in additional Foundation Aid funding, and $4.5 million in expense-based aid.

I am pleased for Yonkers students, teachers, and parents that my colleagues and I were able to secure a substantial down payment on the amount the city needs to fund Yonkers Public Schools,” added Mayer. “We will continue to work closely with Mayor Mike Spano, the City Council, the Yonkers Board of Education, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to secure additional funding for Yonkers students. As we move forward, I look to partner with Yonkers officials in identifying long-term solutions, from the state and from the city, which address the reoccurring budgetary shortfalls plaguing the Yonkers Public Schools.”