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State senator outlines emergency operating and capital aid for Eastchester after budget defeat
Summary
At the June 16 Eastchester Board meeting, State Sen. Shelley Mayer said she secured roughly $500,000 in operating aid and $1.5 million in capital funds for the district after a local budget vote failed; operating funds are expected in the fall while capital requires a longer state approval process.
State Sen. Shelley Mayer told the Eastchester Union Free School District board June 16 that she has worked to secure emergency state aid to help the district respond after a recent local budget vote was defeated. "I was able to get $500,000 in operating, $500,000 in capital," Mayer said, and she added that Assemblywoman Amy Paulen obtained an additional $1 million in capital funding, bringing the total capital allocation to about $1.5 million for the district.
Mayer, who was introduced by the superintendent and joined the meeting in person, said the operating aid is intended as a short-term fix to mitigate immediate budget impacts — in particular transportation reductions and potential layoffs that prompted parental outreach to her office. "Operating aid comes sooner," Mayer said, and she told the board the operating money is expected to arrive in the fall. By contrast, she explained, capital funding follows a more formal route that must go through the legislative finance process and the state's Dormitory Authority, which issues bonds and requires more lead time.
Mayer credited constituent emails and conversations with Senate leadership for moving the aid, and described an internal split she helped negotiate: $500,000 of direct operating assistance plus $500,000 in capital from her office, and $1 million in capital from the Assembly member. "It was my obligation to do the best I can to get every district more money," she said.
She also discussed recent changes to the state's foundation aid formula, including increases in regional cost indexing for Westchester and added weighting for English language learners and students who are homeless or in foster care. "We were able to get 2%" additional foundation aid over last year, Mayer said, noting the formula and its revisions remain a technical and incremental process.
Superintendent Dr. Villainova told Mayer the district would quickly provide details to legislative offices so the funds could be processed. The board and administrators thanked Mayer and Assemblywoman Paulen for their involvement and said they would coordinate next steps with the district finance staff.
What happens next: the district will work with legislative staff to submit required project lists and documents for capital funding and will monitor timing for the operating grant expected this fall. Mayer emphasized the distinction between operating dollars (which can be used in the short term to offset cuts) and capital allocations (which are tied to defined projects and state bond financing).
