ALBANY, NY (WENY)--Gov.  Kathy Hochul's education budget proposals face increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and state agencies. 

THE GOVERNOR’S $35 BILLION EDUCATION BUDGET PLAN PROPOSES CHANGES TO FOUNDATION AID—THE STATE’S MAIN EDUCATION OPERATING FORMULA AND A PRIMARY SOURCE OF STATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  

GOV. hOCHUL PROPOSES A $507 MILLION INCREASE FROM LAST YEARS BUDGET FOR FOUNDATION AID. SHE ALSO PROPOSES A WEALTH BASED TRANSITION ADJUSTMENT TO THE FORMULA INTENDING TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR POORER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND MODERATE THE IMPACT OF ENROLLMENT DECLINES.  

Some Republican lAWMAKERS EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THIS CHANGE AND perceived CUTS FOR THEIR DISTRICTS.  

“We’ve got school districts across the Southern Tier and the Finger Lakes that are getting significant cuts—some in excess of a million dollars being cut out of their budgets. These cannot be sustained by these districts,” said Sen. Tom O’Mara (R-Big Flats).

Some Democratic lawmakers across the aisle share the same concerns. 

“We should not be cutting education funding. We fought long and hard to get the funding where it is, we should not be looking at cutting education funding,” said Sen. Roxanne Persaud (D-19th Senate District).

DURING AN EDUCATION BUDGET HEARING Thursday, COMMISSIONER BETTY ROSA OF THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ALSO SAid SHE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR’S PLAN FOR ALTERING THE AID FORMULA.  

SHE ADDed FOUNDATION AID NEEDS A LONGER-TERM SOLUTION SUCH AS A three TO five YEAR PLAN.  

“My statement was really about the fact that we need to look at this whole issue with foundation aid and state aid. You heard us talking about having a longer runway and having a deeper opportunity to create a plan,” said Rosa.