Apr 24, 2003 — New York's legislature has promised to restore some of Governor Pataki's proposed $1.25 billion cuts to school aid next week. That is theoretically in time for school districts to add the extra money to their budgets before they have to be finalized for a vote in May. But many school administrators are playing it safe and moving ahead with school closures, teacher lay-offs, and program cuts. The situation highlights the quandary schools have faced for the past 19 years that New York state budgets have been late. David Sommerstein reports.