Assemblyman: State Gives Schools More Money in Aid

With school districts scrambling to prepare budgets that come in under the state's two percent tax cap, state lawmakers have agreed to increase state aid to area schools.

According to State Assemblyman Fred Thiele, on Thursday, the State Assembly approved an $805 million increase in state aid as part of the Final 2012 State Budget — It is the first increase in three years.

The numbers are also up from the governor's original state aid proposal.

"I think for the cap to be successful, state aid had to be increased," said Theile. "Some responsible shift had to be made to the state because every dollar in state aid obtained by school districts is less that that will have to be paid in property tax."

Thiele said the state aid numbers are based on a variety of factors, from transportation reimbursement, to changes in enrollment to a district's wealth ratio.

In Westhampton-Hampton Bays, the Remsenburg/Speonk School District got the greatest increase of 9.07 percent or about $39,909;  the Hampton Bays School District got 4.39 percent or $170,015; Quogue School District 3.14 percent or $7,312; Westhampton Beach 3.90 or $62,877; and East Quogue 1.93 or $16,498.

Neighboring districts increases are as follows:

Tuckahoe: 13.47 percent or $105,184

Bridgehampton 1.22 percent or $6,141

Southampton: 1.65 percent or $30,620

Riverhead: 5.59 percent or $907,500.

Montauk: 13.55 percent or $89,851

Sag Harbor: 3.32 percent or $41,351

Springs: 2.10 percent or $22,689

Amagansett: 1.03 percent or $2,676

East Hampton: 4.33 percent or $88,473