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2007-08 state budget is good for Long Island Dear Editor: As a State Senator representing parts of the Town of Babylon, I want Babylon residents to know that the 2007 final enacted state budget is good news for Babylon Town schools, and even better news for Babylon taxpayers. As Chairman of the Finance Committee, I worked together with my Senate Republican colleagues from Long Island to ensure that Long Island schools received their fair share of state budget dollars. As a result, I was able to help add more than $6.4 million to what Governor Spitzer had proposed for the school districts in Babylon which fall within my Senate District. Overall, aid to Town of Babylon schools within the 4th Senate District increased by $19.8 million to a total of more than $260 million. The budget as originally proposed by Governor Spitzer would have shortchanged Long Island schoolchildren and hurt Long Island taxpayers by abandoning the direct property tax rebate program we began last year. In the final state budget, we were able to not only save the direct property tax rebate check program but expand it. As a result of our efforts, most homeowners on Long Island will see rebate checks that are almost twice the amount they received last year. The 2007 enacted budget responds to the needs of Babylon residents - and all Long Islanders - by distributing state school aid and tax relief in a way that's fair and equitable. Owen H. Johnson, Member of the Senate
Readers can reach us at 65 Deer Park Ave., Babylon NY 11702 or via the internet at acjnews@rcn.com. We invite your input, ideas and letters. Please include a name and telephone number for verfication purposes only. Thank you.
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