Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. announced recently that the 2003-2004 State Budget will restore $410 million in aid over the academic year to higher education over the proposed Executive Budget for total spending of $5.9 billion on the fiscal year.

"The Senate and Assembly have worked to make prudent restorations to the Executive Budget Proposal in an effort to ensure that students seeking to better themselves through pursuing higher education and a better life are not restricted by their economic status," Fuschillo said. "By carefully targeting these restorations so they will have the greatest impact, we will provide opportunity to our youth in a fiscally responsible manner."

According to Fuschillo, the legislative additions include full restorations of $262 million in TAP funding, $18.7 million in BUNDY aid, $4.9 million in Merit and Regents Scholarships, and $2,300 in Community College Base Aid per full-time equivalent students at SUNY and CUNY Community Colleges (totaling over $74 million).

Other Legislative restorations to the Executive's Higher Education Budget include:

- HEOP for independent colleges and universities ($11 million)

- STEP/CSTEP program ($10 million)

- Liberty Partnership Program ($6.5 million)

- Teacher Opportunity Corps Programs ($750,000)

- Merit and Regents Scholarships ($4.9 million)

- SUNY:

- Education Opportunity Program (EOP) - $8.2 million

- Community Colleges Contract courses - $1.0 million

- Rental Aid - $2.78 million

- Cornell Cooperative Extension - $l.0 million

- SUNY Maritime Appointment Program - $250,000

- CUNY:

- SEEK ($7.3 million)

- College Discovery Program at CUNY Community Colleges ($382,000)

- Contract courses ($1million)

- Rental Aid ($625,000)

In addition to these restorations, the legislature rejected legislation outlined in the Governor's Executive Budget Proposal:

- Authorizing the transfer of the Office of the Professions from the State Education Department to the Department of State

- Allowing the SUNY Board of Trustees to adopt tuition prior to the enactment of the state budget as well as to impose a differential tuition rate for graduate students

- Authorizing the SUNY Board of Trustees to develop a plan to convert the three SUNY hospitals (Brooklyn, Stony Brook and Syracuse) into not-for-profit corporations.

Are there any products that you or your family may be using that could be listed on the National Consumer Product Recall List? According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), many consumers are unaware that they own certain products that may pose a danger and have been recalled by the manufacturer.

In light of this, Senator Fuschillo is offering access to the National Consumer Product Recall List through his website, www.senatorfuschillo.com. In cooperation with the CPSC, Fuschillo's website offers information regarding products that have been recalled in recent years, and information on how residents can make their homes safe for their families.

"Sometimes, when a manufacturer issues a recall for a particular product, it goes unnoticed by consumers," Fuschillo said. "Old baby cribs and strollers, power tools, electric blankets, and hundreds of other products have been recalled over the past few years due to the potential for serious injury. I encourage residents to visit my website and look through the list of recalled products so they can do what is best for the safety of their families."