Sequestration Cuts Would Have 'Minimal Impact' on Ramsey Schools, Officials Say

According to Ramsey’s interim Superintendent Bruce DeYoung, potential Sequestration cuts Congress announced Sunday would likely not impact the Ramsey school district in any significant ways.

“School districts like Ramsey receive so few federal dollars, that realistically I think [the cuts] would have a very minimal impact on us.”

If the spending cuts – which are scheduled to take hold March 1 – go into effect, DeYoung said he “doubt[s] it would mean anything significant,” for Ramsey schools.

The potential cuts have caused concern throughout the state, as they would automatically reduce spending by the state in a number of areas, including education, the environment, health, military and law enforcement, the White House said.

The cuts, according to the Obama administration, could jeopardize 160 teacher and aide jobs in New Jersey, as well as cut funding to 60 schools and 15,000 students.

Funding would be cut to the early childhood education program Head Start, vaccination programs for children and health services for seniors, among other things, and thousands of civilian Department of Defense employees could be furloughed, according to the White House.

The total federal spending cuts under the sequester add up to about $1.2 trillion over the next nine years.

Republicans have accused the president of using the impending cuts for political gain.

President Barack Obama's plan asks for increased tax revenues to offset some of the trillion-dollar cuts.

According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, a majority of Americans are concerned about the cuts, and are worried about their potential impact.

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