SC New York News

Binghamton, NY – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) hosted an education roundtable at Chenango Valley High School to address the impact of education cuts in Governor Kathy Hochul's proposed 2025 state budget. The roundtable included school faculty, parents, teachers, and students from Chenango Valley High School, one of the schools facing funding reductions in the proposed budget.

During the discussion, Rep. Molinaro emphasized the importance of adequate school funding and the need for expanded support in areas such as disability education, pediatric mental health, and workforce development programs. He expressed concerns about the consequences of budget cuts on schools, stating, “Today’s discussion centered around the massive needs schools have, including more mental health resources and more disability education support. None of this is possible if Governor Hochul’s education cuts go through. In fact, with budget cuts, schools could be forced to make up the difference by gutting the very programs they want to build up.”

Rep. Molinaro has been vocal in opposing the Governor's budget, which includes funding reductions for numerous schools in New York State, including those in the Chenango Valley Central School District and Chenango Forks Central School District. Additionally, over half of all schools in New York’s 19th Congressional District are affected by the proposed cuts.

Highlighting what he sees as a discrepancy in priorities, Rep. Molinaro pointed out the allocation of $2.4 billion in the budget to provide support for undocumented immigrants in various areas such as legal assistance, housing, transportation, healthcare, and jobs. He argued, “The budget is even more nonsensical when you account for the $2 billion in new spending for undocumented immigrants. We need more education funding, not less. The Governor has to rescind this budget.”

As discussions on the state budget continue, stakeholders in education, including Rep. Molinaro and the participants at Chenango Valley High School, are advocating for increased funding to ensure the well-being and educational opportunities for students across New York State.