The budget includes $26.6 million in operating aid for schools in the 89^th Assembly District, which is $787,000 more than the governor provided in his budget.

“It’s incumbent upon us as state legislators to do our best to adequately fund our schools.  I strongly urge the governor to accept this bipartisan compromise which secured substantially more for the education of our children.”

The Legislature restored the governor’s cuts for various expense-based aids, funds that local schools already spent and are entitled to state reimbursement for, including BOCES services, transportation costs, and educating students with disabilities.

To better ensure schools are spending tax dollars wisely, an additional $2.9 million was added to the state Comptroller’s office for additional school audits. The legislative budget also includes $4.5 million in additional aid to local libraries vetoed by the governor last year. Westchester’s library system will receive more than $2.5 million, which is a restoration of $128,000.[1]

“The governor has made it a point to cut funding to libraries year after year. The Legislature’s appropriation puts that funding back in the budget,” Bradley said. “Our communities depend on public education resources to thrive and it’s unacceptable to withhold funding to libraries.”