Politics & Government

BOE Chief, Garbarino Attending School Aid Rally

Republicans, educators to lobby for change in distribution of school district aid.

Assemb. Andrew Gabarino, R-Sayville, and Bayport-Blue Point Board of Education President James March, who also serves as president of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association,will be among several Long Island Republican Assembly members and school chiefs planning a rally in Huntington Monday to urge changes in how school aid is distributed.

The rally is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday at Whitman High School. 

Long Island representatives and educators have long complained that the region pays a disproportionate share of taxes compared to what it gets back in state aid.

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The lineup of educators expected to attend includes leaders from both counties, among them James McKenna, president of the Suffolk School Superintendents Association, Gary Bixhorn, chief operating officer of Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Dr. David Bennardo, superintendent of the South Huntington school district, and the superintendents from Sachem and Connequot.

The campaign to change the aid system includes an online petition and a Youtube video.

Find out what's happening in Sayville-Bayportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The petition says that "under Gov. Cuomo’s budget, Long Island schools would only receive $66 per student in new aid, far below the statewide average of $119 and about half of the New York City average of $129 per student."

Also expected at the rally are Assembs. Michael Fitzpatrick, R-Smithtown; Al Graf, R-Holbrook; Joseph Saladino, R-Massapequa; Michael Montesano, R-Glen Head; Edward Ra, R-Franklin Square; Daniel Losquadro, R-Shoreham; and Brian Curran, R-Lynbrook. 


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