Officials call Paterson's cuts too 'severe'

Local governments are appealing to the state Legislature to review the steep, across-the-board cuts proposed under Gov. David Paterson's $5 billion deficit reduction plan. The plan outlined during a

News 12 Staff

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Oct 17, 2009, 12:42 AM

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Updated 5,569 days ago

Local governments are appealing to the state Legislature to review the steep, across-the-board cuts proposed under Gov. David Paterson's $5 billion deficit reduction plan.

The plan outlined during a press conference Thursday calls for a cut of up to 4.5 percent in this year's remaining school aid. In Yonkers alone, the cuts would add up to nearly $16 million.

Yonkers Deputy Mayor Bill Regan calls the governor's plan too drastic, saying that the city cannot afford to make cuts in personnel, which would inevitably affect services.

Assemblyman Mike Spano (D) says the state budget needs to be balanced, but not in this manner.

"There's no way we can make the cuts proposed by the executive branch to the schools," he says.

The state Legislature is expected to go into a special session in two weeks to review Paterson's plan.