By Dana Williams
The budget increased state funding for Long Island schools by $236 million over the current year, $121 million more than Spitzer's proposal. As a result, both West Hempstead and Malverne school districts look forward to substantial aid hikes.
"Our representatives in Albany did really well on West Hempstead's behalf in the area of state aid," said Richard Cunningham, West Hempstead's assistant superintendent for business and operations. "We're very appreciative of the help."
State legislators have lobbied in Albany since the executive budget was revealed in February, with many calling Spitzer's proposal unfair for its cuts in High Tax Aid, BOCES and operating aids, among other areas, for schools Island-wide. In West Hempstead, the governor proposed a High Tax Aid of $250,829, nearly $99,000 less than the current year. Under the newly approved budget, the district will get nearly $520,000 in High Tax Aid, which is available only in counties like Nassau, where taxes are high.
West Hempstead will also get aid boosts in other areas of the budget, including transportation, software, library and textbooks, and hardware and technology. In total, the district will get $1.3 million more in state aid than this year, a total of $8.9 million. "Our focus right from the start was on the children and taxpayers," Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) said in a statement. "This package shows where our priorities were in this process, it was to cut our tax burden and deliver quality education."
State Assemblyman Tom Alfano (R-Franklin Square), who also represents West Hempstead, agreed, saying that obtaining more aid for his district was critical for students and taxpayers. "This was a battle that we had to win, and we did it," Alfano said in a statement. Under Spitzer's budget, the Malverne School District was slated to receive an increase of roughly 5 percent in aid, to a little over $8 million, and school officials were concerned about a $77,000 decrease in BOCES and special services aid from the current total of $343,000. The new budget added $156,398 more in BOCES and special services aid, giving the district a little more than $400,000 in this category. And under the final budget, the district will get $608,707 more in overall state aid - a total of $8.6 million.
"This budget process has been intensive, but the results are a tremendous victory for taxpayers," said Assemblyman Bob Barra (R-Lynbrook), whose district encompasses Malverne. "We worked hard to bring these record numbers home, and our children and families are the real winners."
Both districts will use the additional aid to lessen residents' tax burden. The Malverne school board - which adopted the district's proposed $43.5 million budget on April 8 - reduced its projected tax levy increase from 5.35 to 3.97 percent. "The school board immediately decided to put the additional aid into lowering the tax levy," Superintendent Dr. James Hunderfund said. "Our state representatives lobbied hard in Albany for Long Island, and we thank them for their efforts, because it has allowed us to provide relief to our taxpayers."
School board members in West Hempstead were able to take similar action after adding the extra state aid into the district's $52.6 million proposed budget, which was adopted April 15. The tax levy, school officials said, should increase by no more than 0.77 percent. "This figure may even be less when the levy is set in August," Cunningham said. "This school board understands the hardships people are having with taxes, and we will continue to do what we can to provide tax relief."
Comments about this story? DWilliams@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
