After months of lobbying our elected officials, through meetings in both their Albany and local offices, and letter-writing and fax campaigns through the NYSUT MAC (Member Action Center), the State Budget has been passed with increases in the originally proposed state aid.  Of particular interest to us in Northport is the restoration of High Tax Aid.  The proposed Executive Budget called for drastic cuts, including elimination of High Tax Aid. It was announced last week that $515,000 in High Tax Aid has been restored to the aid package which Northport will receive for the 2013-2014 school year.  Northport’s overall projected state aid is $11,895,241 which includes a 1.5% increase amounting to just under $176,000 in additional funding.

It should be noted that despite the increases to state aid for the coming school year, Northport, as is the case with virtually all schools on Long Island, has endured years of state aid reductions and under-funding, or lack of funding, of mandates from New York State