Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer traveled to Attica Wednesday to push legislation that would provide millions to local schools to cover the additional costs they are facing as they plan to reopen during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Without federal dollars to cover the massive costs of PPE, barriers, cleaning supplies and more, local school budgets across Upstate New York would be crushed, local taxes could rise and some schools might simply stay closed — and we do not want that," Schumer said as he called for $175 billion in new federal funding for schools.
In an interview after his appearance, Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that under the proposed bill, several hundred million dollars would go directly to school districts in Erie County.
There is bipartisan interest in aiding schools to cover pandemic-related expenses, and Schumer said that sort of funding will likely be included in the next round of coronavirus legislation. Negotiations on that "Covid-4" bill will begin next week.
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"Action is needed now to save teaching jobs, preserve millions of child care slots, and ensure every student has access to a safe, quality education," Schumer said.