Campaigning and Governing are Two Different Skill Sets Lynne A. Weikart, retired CUNY professor of Budgeting and Financial Management Budgeting takes place within constraints, and in 2025, these constraints are growing. On June 30th, the Trump administration announced it would not release $7 billion in federal funding for after-school and summer programs, ESL funds, and teacher training nationwide. This is in addition to the billions being cut from the current bill under consideration in Congress. Although the $7 billion move is illegal, since it has been appropriated by Congress and approved by President Trump in March, it could take months of court battles to restore these funds. Meanwhile, summer programs will not start, and at the beginning of the school year in late August, no after-school programs will open for millions of children. This is just one funding stream. There are many federal programs that the city relies on. Take NYCHA, the city’s public housing,...