Governor delays L.I. school funds

With the state’s deficit nearing a $4 billion, and amid what officials call a “cash-flow crunch,” Gov. David Paterson has ordered $750 million in reductions in scheduled December payments to help keep the current-year budget balanced.

The reductions include withholding about $16.4 million in state aid to Long Island schools. “We did what we were supposed to do,” said Dr. Roseanne Melucci, superintendent of East Rockaway schools, referring to the district’s budgeting process. “To have state aid withheld creates the burden of figuring out how we now function without that money.”

Approximately $2,000 of state aid to East Rockaway schools will be withheld. Though that is only a tiny portion of the district’s $32.7 million budget, Melucci said she was frustrated with the delay because the district did its part by putting together a sound budget, and now it will have to figure out how to cover the shortfall.

Melucci added that the school board has not yet met to discuss how it will handle the state aid reduction, but she does not think it will have a major impact on the district. “It’s disappointing to lose any money,” she said, “but by comparison to other districts, I think we will be OK if that’s the only money we lose.”

The Lynbrook School District will have about $30,000 in state aid withheld, or about .04 percent of its $69.5 million budget. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Santo Barbarino said that district officials anticipated some form of midyear state aid cuts, so they decided to put a hold on spending, which included conferences and any other non-essential school items. The district wanted to guard itself against what might happen at the state level, Barbarino said, and that proved to be a prudent decision. He said he does not think the loss of state aid will have a major impact on the district — as long as Paterson doesn’t make a habit of it.

“I think we can keep breathing based on this December move,” Barbarino said. “But if this becomes a pattern, we’re going to be in trouble.”