Issue Position: Supporting Our Schools

Issue Position

Supporting our schools is one of my main priorities. In the 2019 Budget I was able to secure a record $198 million in funding to schools in the 21st Assembly District. I also secured an additional $1.3 million for schools and municipalities throughout the district. Providing our schools with the support they need is crucial to keeping New York vibrant, dynamic, and thriving.

As a result of schools closing, I acted to ensure payments of state aid when schools fell below the required 180 Day threshold. This legislation was signed into law in June and allowed schools to get the funding they needed. I am also co-sponsoring a bill to make sure that religious and private schools can receive state funding despite not meeting the 180 Day threshold.

We can also help schools by providing them with the opportunity to take an active role in large reassessments. School districts have no say in the assessment process, are prohibited from saving large amounts in reserve accounts to plan for overreaching tax increases that will be reversed, and are then responsible for returning the overage amount. This process creates an erratic budgeting condition for school districts that directly impacts other taxpayers who are often left to fill in unplanned budget gaps. This can be avoided by allowing school districts to plan or assist in the assessment process.

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