SHAREDespite being laid off, Justin and Terina Sciarrotta have been able to pay the bills.Justin, a union stagehand at a studio producing big shows for a television network, and Terina, a personal trainer at a gym, have been collecting unemployment — plus each gets a $600 per week special pandemic assistance benefit. But the future does not look so promising. The Brooklyn couple has no idea when they’ll be able to return to work — and at the end of July, the total $1,200 a week extra help is scheduled to disappear. “We get by,” Justin Sciarrotta said. “But without the $600, it’s...…SHAREDespite being laid off, Justin and Terina Sciarrotta have been able to pay the bills.Justin, a union stagehand at a studio producing big shows for a television network, and Terina, a personal trainer at a gym, have been collecting unemployment — plus each gets a $600 per week special pandemic assistance benefit. But the future does not look so promising. The Brooklyn couple has no idea when they’ll be able to return to work — and at the end of July, the total $1,200 a week extra help is scheduled to disappear. “We get by,” Justin Sciarrotta said. “But without the $600, it’s...WW…

SHAREExactly halfway through the state’s fiscal year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has quietly amassed enough money to avoid major cuts to this year’s $177 billion spending plan. But even his budget director says using the funds would merely worsen the state’s financial crunch in coming years — including an unprecedented $16 billion hole in the next state budget.And with talks on another coronavirus aid package resuming in Washington, the governor has a new rationale for delaying decisions on a final plan to deal with the deficit in the current year’s plan until after the election.“Many people...…SHAREExactly halfway through the state’s fiscal year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has quietly amassed enough money to avoid major cuts to this year’s $177 billion spending plan. But even his budget director says using the funds would merely worsen the state’s financial crunch in coming years — including an unprecedented $16 billion hole in the next state budget.And with talks on another coronavirus aid package resuming in Washington, the governor has a new rationale for delaying decisions on a final plan to deal with the deficit in the current year’s plan until after the election.“Many people...WW…

SHAREWith Congress essentially gone until Labor Day and a dire fiscal update from Albany, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio are running out of time to deal with budget crises that just took another $1 billion hit.In the short term, the state is withholding 20% of city aid and de Blasio says up to 22,000 municipal layoffs loom. In the long term, the city and state face extended problems from the pandemic-created recession that require permanent reductions in spending, fiscal experts say.“Little to no progress is being made in closing the gaps,” said Maria Doulis, vice president of...…SHAREWith Congress essentially gone until Labor Day and a dire fiscal update from Albany, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio are running out of time to deal with budget crises that just took another $1 billion hit.In the short term, the state is withholding 20% of city aid and de Blasio says up to 22,000 municipal layoffs loom. In the long term, the city and state face extended problems from the pandemic-created recession that require permanent reductions in spending, fiscal experts say.“Little to no progress is being made in closing the gaps,” said Maria Doulis, vice president of...WW…