Press Release: 2015 Legislative Session Closing Remarks and Statement on Yonkers Receiving $25 Million in Additional Aid for Schools

Albany, NY - Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Democratic Conference Leader, delivered her closing remarks on the Senate floor Thursday. While important legislation was passed, she also touched on the missed opportunities to create more affordable housing, tax relief for working families, mandate relief for local government and increasing the minimum wage to lift more people out of poverty. Click here for the full remarks.

In these remarks, she thanked Governor Cuomo for keeping his promise in regard to Yonkers Public Schools. The Governor announced late Thursday afternoon that the district would get $25 million to fill a budget gap, preventing more than 100 layoffs and programs cuts including sports.This additional aid also follows last year's discovery of a $55 million accounting error in the district. The Governor and the Yonkers state delegation worked diligently with the Mayor to deliver $28 million in 2014 also.

Senator Stewart-Cousins issued the following statement Thursday.

“The City of Yonkers schools were in need of state assistance and I am very pleased that we were able to deliver the necessary funds to avoid deep program and staffing cuts. Governor Cuomo and my colleagues in the State Legislature understood that we have a responsibility to aid Yonkers and provide the school district with essential resources. The $25 million in state assistance will help the Yonkers public schools move past this recent budgetary crisis and continue their work improving the quality of education our kids receive."