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ALBANY (AP) -- Reliance on federal stimulus money headed off cuts in New York school aid this year. But state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says schools face a shortfall of more than $2 billion when the stimulus money runs out.
He says New York City and other districts statewide will see the gap in the 2011-12 fiscal year unless the difference is made up by the federal government, the state, or local property taxpayers.
The Democrat's analysis released Monday shows that could mean an average property tax increase of nearly 8 percent just to make up for the loss of federal money on top of annual increases in school spending.
The temporary stimulus money was allocated to help states suffering deep drops in revenue because of the recession. But the funding runs out in 2011-12.
Click here to download a file which breaks down individual school districts around the state..
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