By:Jason Scheer
Legislators in Albany are projecting that Malverne will receive $6,782,643, an increase of $582,247, or 9.39 percent, over last year's total of $6,200,396.
West Hempstead will also see an increase in state aid, according to projections. Last year the district received $5,246,258. The new projections call for an increase of $369,210, or 7.04 percent, to $5,615,468.
Carol D. Eisenberg, West Hempstead's superintendent of schools, said that the money would help but that the figures were released very late. Budgets are generally submitted in April, and not having the figures up to this point has proved to be a hindrance.
That sentiment was echoed by Malverne Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Ellen Freely. She said that the daunting task of projecting financial figures becomes even more difficult without any solid numbers to work with. "It was very difficult," she said. "It is always very difficult, because we're always operating in the dark. We're using our estimation skills and our guessing skills, but we're operating without any concrete figures."
However, the district will be adjusting the tax levy in accordance with the projected aid numbers. Freely said the levy will be increased about $300,000 for the district. "What we're going to do is apply it to our tax levy and try to ease the burden for the homeowners," Freely said.
According to Tom Dunham, a spokesman for Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), the numbers are based on many factors, including enrollment and the wealth of the residents within the district. The numbers are generated using an elaborate equation. "It is the most complex, convoluted formula you could ever come up with," said Dunham.
Although the ultimate goal is to get more money for the school districts, other factors, such as the governor's proposed budget, limit the amount of money the state can allocate to local schools.
Despite the limitations, total figures for Nassau County schools for next year are promising, with projected aid set to rise 5.2 percent overall, from $551,322,622 in the 2003-04 school year to $579,929,495 in 2004-05. "Everyone would always like to see more state school aid put into the local districts, but given the challenges we are facing ... [it is] extraordinary that numbers continue to increase to record levels," said Dunham.
The numbers projected in this report refer to total operating aid, and do not include allocations for reimbursable aid, which is contingent on local expenditures like building and transportation bonds.
