Assemblyman Rob Walker (R,C-Hicksville) applauded passage of a legislative state budget that provides significant increases in education funding to school districts statewide. This is the second consecutive on-time state budget after 20 years of missed deadlines.

"On Tuesday [April 4], during the budget negotiations, I again stood with many of my colleagues to call for two things: an increase in aid to our school districts and tax relief for all New Yorkers, both of which were achieved," said Walker. "Later that evening, for the first time during the budget process, real debate occurred about the real need to provide both real property tax relief and the increase in aid that Long Island school districts truly deserve."

Walker highlighted some of the key educational provisions found in the state budget and the additional state aid schools in the 15th Assembly District are to receive., including:

• An overall $1.1 billion school aid increase over the 2005-06 spending plan, for a total of $17.36 billion;
• $805 million to fund a new School Tax Relief (STAR) rebate program providing necessary property tax relief to homeowners;
• A $330 per child education tax credit for parents with dependent children ages 4-17;
• $5.8 million increase, for a total of $94.6 million, in aid to public libraries. This reflects updating aid according to the 2000 census results, as well as an increase. Another $14 million is provided for public library construction projects;
• $2.6 billion for Expanding Our Children's Education & Learning (EXCEL) capital program;
• $59.7 million to offset the revenue gap that would have resulted in a $500 per year SUNY tuition increase;
• $26.7 million increase, for a total of $37 million, for Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers. This increase reflects the Legislature's restoration of full funding for the program, as well as an additional $6 million for teacher centers; and
• $4 million more, for a total of $6 million, for the Teacher Mentor Intern program.

The definitions for additional aid allotments are as follows:

High tax aid is aid with no restrictions that can be used to help stabilize a school district's anticipated tax increase;

Excel funding is a new revenue stream to be used on capital projects that school districts anticipate conducting during the upcoming school year; and

Supplemental universal pre-K and additional universal pre-K grants are also available for schools that meet program requirements.

The following is a list of school districts within the 15th A.D. and the additional education aid they are to receive for fiscal year 2006-2007:

Levittown: $46,610,636

Jericho: $5,161,154

Glen Cove: $6.716.505

Plainview: $15,600,793

Hicksville: $13,920,211

Roslyn: $4,983,353

Bethpage: $9,796,628

Syosset: $11,987,262

East Meadow: $40,075,474

Locust Valley: $3,828,064

Oyster Bay-East Norwich: $2,855,951

North Shore: $4,909,434

Westbury: $30,348,861