ALBANY — Sen. Charles Schumer said Monday he is pushing for federal grants for schools as part of a national economic stimulus package that would yield $6.4 billion for New York schools while other programs face new limits or cuts.
Citing “broad consensus” in Washington for a $750 billion to $800 billion package that would contain significant help for the states, Schumer said it should reach President-elect Obama’s desk by Feb. 13. It would provide aid to states, funding for infrastructure projects and tax cuts of about $1,000 aimed at middle-class taxpayers, he said.
“This should alleviate the severity of the crisis and it’s a shot in the arm the states need,” Schumer said. Other parts of the package are expected to include $80 billion to $100 billion in additional federal Medicaid payments to states, providing $5 billion to New York state, and about $20 billion for mass transit, with about $4 billion for New York City, he said.
A second package is envisioned next year, Schumer said. “Hopefully in two years everything will be humming along again.”
Some congressional Republicans have reacted skeptically to Obama’s stimulus plan, demanding that aid be carefully targeted, that help for the states be in the form of loans rather than grants, and that permanent spending increases be avoided. However, there has been little or no dispute on Capitol Hill about the need for action.
Appearing at a state Capitol press conference Monday with Schumer, New York Gov. David Paterson said if the federal money materializes, he might not have to raise taxes and fees as part of his proposed $121 billion state budget for the fiscal year starting April 1.
“The taxes were the last part of the budget,” Paterson said, which he said were added only when it appeared state budget deficits would approach $10 billion. “If there was a way to make some adjustments, that would be my preference.”
Asked whether he thought a federal bailout would take the steam out of proposals to curb spending — Paterson’s budget plan would raise overall state government spending by 1.1 percent — he said spending must be controlled.
“The reality is that we have got to learn that our spending cannot exceed our revenues,” Paterson said. “It’ll all go to waste if we outspend it.”
Paterson has proposed a 2009-10 budget of $121.1 billion, which includes a $698 million or 3.3 percent cut in school aid, down to $20.7 billion, plus 88 new or higher fees. The proposal he released Dec. 16 would increase total spending by $1.3 billion and close $15.4 billion in deficits over two years.
Out of the proposed $80 billion in grants for education, Schumer said New York’s share by combined formulas would be 8 to 9 percent or about $6.4 billion. He said education is the largest expense for state and local budgets in New York, and there’s a good reason.
“It’s our future,” he said.
Paterson’s budget also calls for cutting 3,108 jobs from the state work force of 196,000. Attrition would account for most of the reduction, but the proposal includes 521 layoffs in 2009-10, largely through consolidating state offices.
“This should alleviate the severity of the crisis and it’s a shot in the arm the states need,” Schumer said. Other parts of the package are expected to include $80 billion to $100 billion in additional federal Medicaid payments to states, providing $5 billion to New York state, and about $20 billion for mass transit, with about $4 billion for New York City, he said.
A second package is envisioned next year, Schumer said. “Hopefully in two years everything will be humming along again.”
Some congressional Republicans have reacted skeptically to Obama’s stimulus plan, demanding that aid be carefully targeted, that help for the states be in the form of loans rather than grants, and that permanent spending increases be avoided. However, there has been little or no dispute on Capitol Hill about the need for action.
Appearing at a state Capitol press conference Monday with Schumer, New York Gov. David Paterson said if the federal money materializes, he might not have to raise taxes and fees as part of his proposed $121 billion state budget for the fiscal year starting April 1.
“The taxes were the last part of the budget,” Paterson said, which he said were added only when it appeared state budget deficits would approach $10 billion. “If there was a way to make some adjustments, that would be my preference.”
Asked whether he thought a federal bailout would take the steam out of proposals to curb spending — Paterson’s budget plan would raise overall state government spending by 1.1 percent — he said spending must be controlled.
“The reality is that we have got to learn that our spending cannot exceed our revenues,” Paterson said. “It’ll all go to waste if we outspend it.”
Paterson has proposed a 2009-10 budget of $121.1 billion, which includes a $698 million or 3.3 percent cut in school aid, down to $20.7 billion, plus 88 new or higher fees. The proposal he released Dec. 16 would increase total spending by $1.3 billion and close $15.4 billion in deficits over two years.
Out of the proposed $80 billion in grants for education, Schumer said New York’s share by combined formulas would be 8 to 9 percent or about $6.4 billion. He said education is the largest expense for state and local budgets in New York, and there’s a good reason.
“It’s our future,” he said.
Paterson’s budget also calls for cutting 3,108 jobs from the state work force of 196,000. Attrition would account for most of the reduction, but the proposal includes 521 layoffs in 2009-10, largely through consolidating state offices.
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