The budget ax fell yesterday at the Department of Education – with cuts expected to impact every city school.

Mayor Bloomberg warned of the belt-tightening last week, calling for all city agencies to shed 2.5 percent from their fiscal 2008 budgets.

In an e-mail sent to principals, Deputy Chancellor for Finance Kathleen Grimm said the department is targeting cuts to its own staff, as well as in transportation, food, repairs, maintenance and other areas.

But, she warned, “We will take a 1.75 percent across-the-board cut from our schools. This will be effective immediately.”

The head of the principals union blasted the department for the mid-year squeeze – and promised a battle to restore nearly $100 million in funding.

“These cuts are a direct assault on the hard work and progress we have realized in recent years to improve the quality of education in this city,” Ernest Logan, president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, wrote his members.

UFT President Randy Weingarten reiterated her concern that the budget cuts not reach down into the classroom.

Source: NY Post