New York, NY —

Education advocates are in Albany to lobby Governor Paterson and state legislators to make sure funding cuts to schools are kept at a minimum.

Speaking via cell phone from the Capitol, Geri Palast of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, says there's no reason for draconian cuts to education since President Obama and Congress have provided substantial funding through the stimulus package.

PALAST: We believe that the governor and the state legislators should be able to go the rest of the way by raising a personal income tax and restoring a majority of those dollars.

Like other advocacy groups, Palast says there should be a millionaire's tax. Talks of more cuts come after the governor disclosed today that there will be $2.2 billion dollars LESS in tax revenues than previously expected.

He also announced plans to lay off some 8,900 state employees.