Bush administration officials declined to comment on reports that the block-grant program would be cut, saying the budget request was still being developed.

Talk of cutting the block-grant program comes at a time when many cities are still laying off workers and shutting down programs because of budget problems.

Many mayors like the block-grant program because they have broad latitude in spending the money.

But, Mr. Pataki warned, "a fight over the formula" might hinder the governors' ability to get a block-grant program at all.

If he does not, then New York will have to ask for waivers from Washington before putting even small parts of the block-grant programs into effect.

(Westchester has already received $4.1 million under the block-grant program in 1987.)

While Ms. Wilensky is generally supportive of the effort, one issue she wants examined is the proposal to hand Medicaid over to the states with a block-grant program.

The measure sets aside $503 million for an anti-crime block-grant program.

Under the block-grant program, states will trim benefits to make sure they're not any more generous than their neighbors, worried that they'll be seen as welfare magnets.

These attitudes squelched some more thoroughly detailed block-grant programs in the Nixon and Reagan Administrations.