Last Tuesday both chambers of the New York State Legislature passed a record increase in state aid for local school districts, including close to $500,000 for Massapequa; $281,438 over the proposal put forward by Governor George Pataki. The news came over the spring recess when many school district officials were on spring vacation.

Local school district superintendents were notified of the announcement by State Senator Charles Fuschillo over the break at their homes.

In Massapequa, school officials were able to lower their proposed tax rate for 1998-99 to 3.78 percent over last year's rate. The previous anticipated tax rate proposal put forward by Massapequa Schools Superintendent James Brucia was 4.25 percent, based upon the state aid figures put forward by Governor Pataki. Earlier tax rate proposals put forward by Brucia were 4.47 percent and 4.9 percent.

"Under Governor George Pataki's leadership, we as state legislators have made an attempt to stop the spiraling rise in property taxes," said Assemblyman Steve Labriola in explaining the reason for the large increase in aid.

The state budget passed by the legislature, included a record school aid increase of more than $950 million, an 8.7 percent increase over last year, as well as a reduction in taxes by more than $700 million.

The governor still needs to sign the budget approved by the legislature before it goes into effect.

But if approved, $500 million will be allotted for new school construction as a part of the RESCUE (Rebuild Schools to Uphold Education) program. The Massapequa school district would receive an additional $1.2 million for capital improvements over last year's budget through this initiative.

But according to Brucia, the RESCUE money is not being calculated into this year's budget. He said that the reasoning for not including the additional funds, which is a 4-year allotment for capital construction, was because "there's a chance the governor may veto this money."

Trustee Ric Sorvillo questioned whether or not the money could be used to offset the tax increase for this year, to which Brucia responded by stating "yes," but after the budget is passed by the voters. In August the board of education sets the tax rate for the district, and, Brucia said, by then the district will have a clear idea of how much money the state will be providing for the district.

Part of the way that the board may reduce the tax rate in August, said School Board President Robert Thompson, would be to use the money in another way. "We may be able to use it to pay off interest on previous construction bonds," said Thompson.

The tax rate in Massapequa has increased by 17.2 percent over the last five years. And with the exception of school year 1995-96, the rate has increased in percentages over the rate of inflation. Thompson said that he was satisfied with the current proposal of 3.78 percent for 1998-99. "The tax rate is at a very good level considering the fact that we just signed a labor contract that will absorb 78 percent of it," said Thompson.

Labriola said that because school districts on Long Island continue to raise their portion of the property tax, that the State of New York has attempted to reverse the trend. "I would prefer that school districts attempt to hold the line on spending," he said in a recent interview. "However it's apparent that school taxes continue to escalate and so the state of New York has increased education aid and has provided the STAR program."

STAR, the School Tax Relief program, is a statewide initiative put into effect last year which was intended to increase state aid to local districts while providing direct tax exemptions to homeowners.

The program was originally supposed to be phased in over four years, but because of momentum in the state legislature, the full tax exemption for senior citizens was put into effect this year. According to Labriola, senior citizens making less then $60,000 will receive a 45 percent reduction in their school property taxes.