Cuomo: Hospitals, schools face 20% cuts without federal aid

New York Governor Cuomo said Monday that hospitals, schools and local governments will face 20% cuts in state aid if the federal government fails to include more funding in the next coronavirus stimulus package.  Cuomo said he is worried about empty promises from Washington, D.C.

“You can’t spend what you don’t have,” Cuomo said about funding state infrastructure. “You would be cutting schools 20%, local governments 20%, and hospitals 20%”

Cuomo added:  “Now, federal government has said from day one: ‘Don’t worry. We’re going to provide funding to the states.’ Yeah. ‘Don’t worry,’ but I’m worried because I’ve heard this over and over again.”

The number of people dying each day in New York State from coronavirus-related illness dropped to 478 in the past 24 hours, as Cuomo continued to urge people to practice caution and vigilance until a vaccine is available.

While the flattening of the numbers is a good sign, Cuomo said in Monday’s daily COVID-19 briefing the numbers are on too thin a margin to make decisions.

“Does it take two weeks for it to come down?” he said. “Some projections say that. Does it take a month? Some projections say that. And again, the projections are nice, but I wouldn’t bet the farm on them.”

The governor said his priority is shifting to what New York State should be like after the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. Among his suggestions for a new downstate task force included a 50% hazard pay bonus to essential workers who kept working during the economic shutdown and PAUSE executive orders.