Long Island schools score $270M state-aid boost but homeowners still drowning in some of highest property taxes in US
Long Island schools are set to receive more than $270 million in extra state aid for the next year — a 5.4% jump over last year — but local homeowners will still be drowning from some of the highest property taxes in the US.Albany’s new budget allocates a record $37 billion in school funding statewide.The pact also tacks on free school breakfast and lunch for all students regardless of income and implements a statewide classroom smartphone ban starting this fall.“This represents one of the largest statewide school aid increases since the Foundation Aid formula was established in 2007,” the New York School Board Association said in a statement, referring to the state’s attempt to more equitably distribute money to needy districts.Nassau schools will be divvying up an extra $123 million — a 6% jump for the county — bringing the total amount of state funds to nearly $2.15 billion for next year.Suffolk will see a roughly similar 5% increase with an extra nearly $150 million to bring their total state aid to more than $3 billion.The vast majority of Long Island school districts — 108 out of 124 — are in line for a boost in state aid under Albany’s new budget.While most of their increases are going to be relatively small, a handful of districts will see major gains, including Elmont and Deer Park with 13% jumps, as well as Hempstead and Middle Country at nearly 11% rises.But because the budget was more than 30 days late in being passed, combined with state laws requiring districts to complete their budget proposals for next year by April 25, Long Island homeowners will not see a decrease in their property taxes, which rank among the highest in the nation, at least this year.Property taxes in both counties have ballooned in the past decade despite state aid now covering a much larger share of Long Island’s school funding than it did a decade ago, rising roughly $2.5 billion from about 21% in 2015-16 to nearly 32% this school year, according to News...