State aid increase still not enough

HARLEM VALLEY — Nine days after the mandated deadline, the state budget was passed last Wednesday.

In a press release after the budget was passed, Gov. David Paterson said the budget included a $1.75-billion increase in school aid.

"Even in difficult fiscal times, we still must strive to provide critical funding for our education system," Paterson stated in the release. "New York must be ready to address both the challenges and opportunities presented by the global economy, and that means ensuring that our students have the knowledge they need to compete for the jobs of tomorrow."

In the press release, the governor’s office states that the increase in state aid brings total aid to New York districts to $21.4 billion. Of that aid, $8.33 billion will go to school districts in New York City.

However, both the Webutuck and Pine Plains school districts will not see a large increase in school aid from the state.

Webutuck district school Superintendent Richard Johns said the district will receive $125,000 in additional state aid, totalling $5,964,905 — still not enough to make up the shortfall in next year’s school budget.

"Any time you pick up more money it’s good news," Johns said. "But when your budget is $1.1 million short, it’s still not going to solve all of your problems. We are going to have to make significant cuts this year. It’s all up to the school board."

In March, Johns gave the school board his budget proposal, calling for a total school budget of $17,568,000. Johns wrote that, if the district was to do business the exact same way in the next school year, it would cost $18,861,000, or $1,313,000 more than this year.

Pine Plains Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Michael Goldbeck said his district will receive an additional $82,929 in aid from the state, giving the district a total of $7,011,082 in aid.

"However, this is about $88,000 less than we were projecting to get this year in state aid," Goldbeck said. "It’s disappointing that the district is on a downward slope with the amount of aid the state is providing for us."

At a Board of Education meeting earlier this month, district Superintendent Linda Kaumeyer gave the board her budget proposal. Her total proposed budget for the school year 2008-09 is $25,888,000, a 5.47-percent increase from this year’s budget, which is listed as $24,545,400.