Assemblyman Steve Stern (D-Huntington, 10th AD) announced passage of the Assembly 2019-2020 budget proposal, which makes substantial investments in education and libraries on Long Island.

“There is nothing more important than ensuring that our local Long Island schools, among the best in the nation, continue to have the resources that they need to educate our young people to succeed academically and professionally, become innovators and entrepreneurs, proficient in trades, professionals and leaders,” Assemblyman Stern said. “All of our young people deserve the opportunity to reach their highest potential and this increased funding will provide vital resources to accomplish that goal.”

To strengthen Long Island public schools, the Assembly budget proposal increases education funding by $1.6 billion over last year, $644 million more than the executive budget proposal. The Assembly’s plan also provides a total of $18.9 billion in Foundation Aid, which marks an increase of $1.16 billion over last year’s funding level and $823 million more than the executive proposal.

Additionally, the Assembly budget restores $14.3 million for Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers and provides a total of $9.3 million for adult literacy education – $1.5 million more than last year. The proposal also provides increased funding for schools for the blind and deaf and for bilingual education. The Assembly’s budget proposal also provides a total of $96.6 million in aid to public libraries and $34 million in library construction grants.

“School taxes are the biggest driver of high local property taxes,” Assemblyman Stern said. “So it is critical to provide state funding to our local schools to provide opportunity and to reduce the tax burden on our hard-working Long Island families.”