CRITICS SAY BUDGET HURTS CITY SCHOOLS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: BRUCE A. SCRUTON Staff writer

Assembly Democrats said Monday that upstate city school districts are being shortchanged by Gov. George Pataki's budget, noting Albany comes up with $3 million less and Schenectady with $1.5 million less in expected school aid.

In press releases late Monday afternoon, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said about one-third of the Albany's amount includes $488,000 in pre-K funding plus $316,000 in reduced class size funding and $130,000 for minor maintenance. Sliver said all are areas the governor promised last year would get priority funding this year.

In Schenectady's case, the reductions from …