In a rare move, New York State Gov. David Paterson asked state lawmakers to make major midyear budget cuts on Thursday – including $62 million from higher education.
The governor will also cut $26 million from the Tuition Assistance Program, which will affect current TAP awards, budget officials said.
Paterson said that the state is facing a $3 million budget deficit this year and has to make 'painful' cuts to help bring the numbers down.
'This budget deficit has affected all of us, and all of us are going to have to sacrifice,' Paterson said, during his address in Albany.
The governor also made $480 million in cuts in school aid to districts across the state in New York's first midyear education cut since 1991.
The proposed plan also cuts $471 million from Medicaid, $10 million from the environmental protection fund, $300 million from the Battery Park City Authority and $125 million from transportation programs.
Paterson drew immediate criticism from several education advocacy groups, including the Albany-based Alliance for Quality Education.
'The governor's cuts to our schoolchildren are absolutely unacceptable,' said Billy Easton, executive director for the group, in a press release. 'The legislature must say no to these damaging cuts to schools.'
Geri D. Palast, executive director for the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, also condemned the cuts.
'Times are tough, but leadership requires vision and commitment to our fundamental priorities,' Palast said in a press release. 'Midyear cuts that cripple our children's opportunities will cripple their futures and ours.'
Paterson said that he expected the criticism, but urged New Yorkers to stay strong.
'We understand how difficult this is, but New York has got to stay in our financial position of stability,' Paterson said.
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