North Babylon, Deer Park Schools to Receive Increase in State Aid

With state lawmakers working to approve New York’s 2013-14 budget, new state aid figures show North Babylon and Deer Park will be getting increases over initial aid projections.

Figures received on Thursday by Patch show North Babylon will be getting an additional $456,244 in state aid over what was originally proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January. The school district’s total state aid for the 2013-14 school year will be $40,731,307, a 5.69 percent increase over the 2012-13 school year budget.

Deer Park will receive an additional bump in aid amounting to $586,227. The district’s total state aid for the 2013-14 school year will be $25,420,679, a 9.65 percent increase over the current year.

Both districts are currently facing difficulties in trying to balance rising mandated costs without slamming residents with high taxes. Deer Park Board of Education trustees recently voted to close Abraham Lincoln School, and officials anticipate a four percent reduction in staff across the district in an effort to close a $2.8 million budget gap. North Babylon's draft budget is on track to pierce the state's mandated tax cap for the second consecutive year.