FIGHTING FOR OUR FAIR SHARE

	ASSEMBLYMAN DAVID G.
MCDONOUGH
FIGHTING FOR OUR FAIR SHARE

BUDGET FAILS NASSAU CHILDREN

Dear Neighbor,

The governor needed to close a $5.2 billion budget gap this year and decided to cut education funding - IMPACTING MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON LONG ISLAND THAN THE ENTIRE STATE COMBINED.

It is necessary to bring the voice of Long Island school districts and taxpayers to the budget negotiation table. While school districts in Nassau now educate more than 7.4 percent of New York’s students, they will only receive 4 percent of all education funds in the 2008-09 Executive Budget, a marginal increase of 3.1 percent from last year’s aid.

Last year I joined my Long Island colleagues in demanding that our school districts receive their fair share. We were successful in securing more than $55 million in additional funding for Nassau schools.

This year I plan to do the same - Long Island deserves its fair share of education aid and if you are as passionate about this issue as I am, contact my district office by calling (516) 409-2070 or send an e-mail to mcdonod@assembly.state.ny.us.

Sincerely,

David G. McDonough
Member of Assembly
19th District

THE STATE BUDGET
REPORT CARD

BOCES & SPECIAL SERVICES AID	SLASHED	GOV’S GRADE
EAST MEADOW	- $442,934	F
NORTH BELLMORE	- $155,839	F
LEVITTOWN	- $352,996	F
SEAFORD	- $ 42,001	F
BELLMORE	- $118,434	F
BALDWIN	- $444,058	F
FREEPORT	- $614,903	F
WANTAGH	- $ 15,060	F
MERRICK	- $107,667	F
ISLAND TREES	- $ 31,507	F
NORTH MERRICK	- $ 96,584	F

COMMENTS:

F	Aid to Nassau Schools
F	Passing Tax Hikes to Homeowners

BUDGET FAILS NASSAU CHILDREN
News from Assemblyman McDonough
Executive Budget slashes Education Aid to Nassau

"The reduction of overall education aid promised by the governor last year severely impacts our schools on Long Island - this is UNACCEPTABLE! The governor’s reduction in education aid will mean higher school taxes for our already overburdened homeowners and businesses and jeopardizes our children’s education," said Assemblyman McDonough.

January 23, 2008
2008-09 Budget Reduces Aid To A Third Of Long Island Schools
Compared to last year’s education aid, 44 Long Island School Districts would see their aid reduced. More than half of all districts - 67 out of 124 - either get cuts or increases of less than 3 percent, which would not allow them to keep up with the cost of living.

February 4, 2008
Coalition Slams Aid Cut For Long Island Schools
...46 of the Island’s 124 districts, or 37 percent, would lose operating aid, according to a coalition count. In contrast, losses would be incurred by only 31 out of the remaining 574 districts in the rest of the state, or 5 percent. A Newsday survey of the same data showed similar results. Many of the Island’s boosters view this as discriminatory...

January 23, 2008
Governor Plans Cuts and Fees to Close Deficit of $4.4 Billion
The governor proposed an array of taxes, fees, health care cuts, and scaled back plans for new education aid and property tax relief.....

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