Buffalo School Superintendent James A. Williams told WGRZ-TV today (video below) that funding shortfalls facing the district -- resulting from state decisions affecting employee pensions and charter school funding, resulting in a projected $22.8 million gap -- could result in widespread layoffs.
Williams said the governor needs to call the Legislature back in session to address these issues that affect the district's revenues and expenditures.
A reporter asked him, "If it doesn't happen, what kind of layoffs are you looking at in this school year?"
The bottom line, Williams told her, is that "we're looking at pretty close to 900 individuals we would have to lay off." That would be about one in six district employees.
But Wednesday, in a memo to the Board of Education and the Western New York delegation to the State Legislature, Williams said quite clearly that was not going to happen.
He outlined four possible solutions to help close the shorftall. His exact words, in describing one of those options:
"For a half year, the position elimination would be 912, which is not possible, not recommended or being considered by the administration at this time."
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WGRZ-TV video from what Williams told the station
