Last Minute State Aid Will Cut School Tax Increase

by Judy Silberstein

(April 17, 2008) A last minute infusion of New York State aid is cutting the tax rate increase for the Mamaroneck School District’s 2008-2009 budget from 5.75% to 5.41%. If voters approve the school budget on May 20, taxes will still go up by around $721 per year for the average taxpayer, but that’s $46 less than before the new aid came through.

According to Joan Rosen, Mamaroneck Schools' spokesperson, the district's first estimates relied on Governor Elliot Spitzer's budget and assumed the district would receive around $7.245 million in state aid for 2008-2009. This represented a net loss of around $250,000 when compared to last year's $7.5 million in state aid.

The NY State final budget, passed by the legislature on April 9, contained some new aid in various categories. Mamaroneck got an extra $210,000 - but $118,000 of that could only be applied to a Universal pre-Kindergarten program. That still left a net loss.

It took additional intervention by Assemblyman George Latimer to fill the remaining gap. Mr. Latimer cited cooperative work with NY Senator Suzi Oppenheimer to address the issue.

"I have lobbied - and I'm pleased to say was successful - in getting an additional $250,000 for the Mamaroneck School District," reported Mr. Latimer. He explained that Mamaroneck had a “deep loss in excess cost aid” and no relief in “high tax aid for hard pressed property taxpayers in Mamaroneck Town, Larchmont Village and part of Mamaroneck Village covered by the district. That has been corrected."

Mr. Latimer noted "cutting state spending makes sense in a tough fiscal climate," but not if the cuts result in higher local property taxes, "the very tax that people most complain about."

Mamaroneck Schools Superintendent Dr. Paul Fried said, "George understands the predicament that we face as a school district." Dr. Fried called the formulas for determining state aid "unfair to our district."

Front Page

Print This Page
Email this page