Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren told a joint state legislative budget committee that the city needs equity in school aid.
A “Maintenance of Effort” mandate imposed by the state on the city requires it to pay the Rochester City School District more than $119 million a year, even if the city runs a budget shortfall. That amount is nearly $31 million less than the city gets in state municipal aid.
Mayor Warren told lawmakers the other big cities around New York don’t have to pay their school districts more than they receive in state aid. She asked for the additional $30.9 million from the state to make up the difference.