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Assemblywoman Says Federal Aid Could Prevent Disastrous Cuts In Local Budgets

ENFIELD, NY (WSKG) - Governor Andrew Cuomo and President Trump met at the White House on Wednesday to discuss New York’s need for federal aid. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, New York had state budget troubles.

For weeks, the Governor has warned,without federal assistance, there would be drastic cuts in state aid to local governments, and would include police, firefighters and school districts.

To eliminate the deficit, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton said cuts would be required in all parts of the state budget.

"If we have to make cuts it won’t just be to schools it will be to everything, I suspect," Lifton said. "I mean, my guess is the governor’s not going to put it all in education or all in healthcare, it’ll get spread across--and the two biggest things we fund are pre-K through twelve education and higher ed and, and Medicaid and healthcare to hospitals and nursing homes."

Lifton represents a district that includes Tompkins and parts of Cortland counties.

"I suspect you'd see transportation cuts, you'd see social services. I don't know how you cut social services they're already so barebones."

Lifton said cuts would likely include healthcare support to hospitals and nursing homes.

"It would just be a disaster. It's, it would just be awful in every area," she said.

The governor has said that cuts to localities would likely exceed $8 billion.