March 4, 2008

“CONTE ATTENDS RALLY IN FARMINGDALE CALLING FOR
INCREASED STATE AID TO L.I. SCHOOLS ”

Assemblyman Jim Conte (R,C,I,WF-Huntington Station) recently joined teachers, parents, students, business and labor leaders, and state and local elected officials at a rally calling on Albany to increase state aid for Long Island schools to ensure they receive their fair share of education funding.

“Long Island schools continue to see portions of their state school aid distributed to the city and upstate schools,” said Conte. “While I am not suggesting that we limit state school aid to needy school districts throughout the state, I am calling for the state to deliver to Long Island schools its rightful share in state aid. By increasing state aid to Long Island schools, we can continue to provide Long Island students with the best possible education while reducing property taxes here on the Island.”

Last year, the state Legislature and the governor delivered record increases in state school aid to schools around the state and Long Island but failed to give Long Island the amount required to help provide educational resources for many school districts. This year, under the governor’s proposed budget, more than half of Long Island schools will receive a cut in their state funding.

“With 17 percent of New York students educated at Long Island schools, we need to be providing our local school districts with a proportional amount of state aid so that they can continue to provide Long Island students with the kind of ‘top of the line’ education that is required in today’s global economy,” remarked Conte. “While last year’s increases in state aid to schools was a step in the right direction, this year’s budget cuts to Long Island schools is a frightening reversal.”


“With property taxes soaring on Long Island and with our economy becoming more competitive for well-educated individuals, now is not the time to be cutting state aid to Long Island schools,” added the Huntington assemblyman. “Be assured that I will fight during this year’s budget negotiations to increase state aid to Long Island schools to make certain that every student on Long Island has access to the best possible education.”

Assemblyman Jim Conte (R,C,I,WF-Huntington Station), a 1977 graduate of Huntington High School, presents Dr. Vicki Mingin with an Assembly Citation for her commitment and dedication to the Huntington School District and on her reception of the 2008 Spirit Award at the Huntington Foundation for Excellence in Education “Reach for the Stars” Gala.

A member of the Huntington High School Class of 1970, Dr. Mingin holds several degrees from the University of South Florida, including a B.A. in physical education and health, an M.A. in adaptive physical education and special education and an Ed.S. in administration supervision. In 2006, she received her Ed.D. at Hofstra. Dr. Mingin grew up and attended school in Huntington, a school district where she has served for more than 25 years as a teacher, coach and administrator.

Pictured above, Senator John Flanagan calls for the state to increase Long Island school aid at the rally and is joined by Assemblymen Jim Conte, Dave McDonough and Andrew Raia; Senators Carl Marcellino, Ken LaValle, Owen Johnson, Dean Skelos and Kemp Hannon; students and teachers.