YONKERS WILL GET SCREWED AGAIN: State lawmakers annually argue over how much money should go toward Yonkers Public Schools, but this year, officials are expecting a $6 billion deficit and that’s likely to make for the worst Foundation aid battle ever.

EXTRA MONEY: Foundation Aid is a funding formula that sends extra dollars to high-needs districts like #Yonkers

CHILDREN CHEATED: A lawsuit prompted the creation of the #FoundationAid formula a dozen years ago, but since then it has largely not been funded to the level promised.

When the state sends money to #NewYork school districts, a majority of it is funneled through Foundation Aid.

State education officials, who this year are asking for a $2 billion increase in education dollars, contend that the state still owes districts a total $3.7 billion in Foundation Aid

#WestchesterCounty Senator Shelley Mayer, who co-chairs the Senate’s education committee, held a series of discussions throughout the state this fall to examine whether the 12-year-old formula should be tweaked.

But as Yonkers state lawmakers, like J Gary Pretlow lobby for more education dollars, the state is facing down a $6 billion deficit, the largest in nearly in a decade.

Yonkers has a different partner in the Senate now, with Andrea Stewart-Cousins being elected majority leader.

Former educator and Yonkers Assemblyman Nader Sayegh has said Foundation Aid continues to be the top priority, and then trying to build steps to address the inequity in the formula.

However, #NewYork Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has increased education spending over his time in office, has said the Foundation Aid lawsuit is a long-settled matter that doesn’t bind him to any set spending boost.

Governor Andrew Cuomo prefers not to increase spending more than 2% from the previous year.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the next legislative session in #Albany, but things don’t look good for The City of Yonkers or Mayor Mike Spano‘s budget in 2020.