East Hudson Valley News

Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown), alongside other Hudson Valley lawmakers, has raised concerns over the region's lack of representation in statewide public hearings conducted by the Rockefeller Institute regarding the Foundation Aid formula. These hearings are crucial for determining New York’s primary school funding mechanism, and Slater insists that the unique challenges faced by Hudson Valley communities need to be acknowledged.

The Rockefeller Institute announced a series of public hearings across New York state, but the Hudson Valley was not included as one of the five locations. Slater highlighted the importance of updating outdated metrics such as the Regional Cost Index and Pupil Needs Index to reflect current economic realities and student needs in the Hudson Valley. He also called for incorporating the real rate of inflation into the Foundation Aid formula. This year’s reduction of the inflation rate in the state budget from 4.1% to 2.8% has significantly limited school districts’ ability to meet current market rates for goods and services.

“As federal and state legislators, as parents and as property taxpayers, we know firsthand the significant challenges facing school districts in our region,” said Slater. “Hudson Valley homeowners pay the nation’s highest property taxes, with school district levies making up nearly 80% of our total tax bill. We cannot allow the unique challenges of the Hudson Valley to go unaddressed in this critical review process.”

The Rockefeller Institute of Government, working with the State Education Department, will study potential modifications to the Foundation Aid formula and make recommendations by Dec. 1, 2024, based on feedback from stakeholders.