ccSCOOP - NEWS - Stimulus Funding May Bring Taxpayer Relief

STIMULUS FUNDING MAY BRING TAXPAYER RELIEF

Harvey Michaels

ccSCOOP News

04-10-09 - The federal stimulus package may bring some relief to Columbia County property tax payers.

According to figures released on Tuesday by the State Education Department, the state budget approved last weekend by the state legislature includes a total of $21.86 billion in state aid for schools across the state, an increase of $1.164 billion over the governor's proposed budget. The increase over Governor David Paterson's proposal is fully funded through Federal Fiscal Stabilization Funds authorized as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Locally, Columbia County schools will receive several million in additional state aid as a result of the stimulus package.

The additional aid will likely alleviate the need for the dramatic property tax increases or faculty and staff layoffs which were discussed in some school districts in the wake of the governor's January budget proposal.

The total aid from the state coming to each school district for the 2009-2010 school year is as follows:

Hudson $22,185,398, a 16.22 percent increase over the current year

(Part of this amount is state construction aid for the district’s ongoing capital project.)

Ichabod Crane $15,118,531, a 3.26 percent increase

Taconic Hills $11,657,352, a 2.43 percent increase

Chatham $6,799,556, a 2.48 percent increase

Germantown $4,499,126, a 5.7 percent increase

New Lebanon $4,002,555, a 5.41 percent increase

ccSCOOP Commenting Policy & User Agreement

How to Use the Commenting System