FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 10, 2008
ENACTED STATE BUDGET PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO ROCHESTER AND THE FINGER LAKES REGION
Governor David Paterson today announced that the Enacted State Budget contains numerous investments and actions that will benefit Rochester and the Finger Lakes region, including Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Schuyler, Tompkins, Wayne, and Yates counties.
“Facing a rapidly deteriorating economy, it was important to ensure that our budget would not be balanced on the backs of local governments,” said Governor Paterson. “The state tightened its own belt so it could continue to provide critical support to Rochester, the Finger Lakes area, and other regions around the state.”
Recognizing that support for local government programs is important to alleviate pressure on local property taxes, Governor Paterson made significant reductions to state agency spending – which will grow by only one percent – in order to preserve funding for localities that rely upon state aid. Overall, New York’s local governments, including cities, towns, villages, and school districts, will receive a net positive benefit of $3.0 billion from the state budget.
The Enacted Budget provides $1.7 billion in school aid for the Rochester and Finger Lakes region, a substantial increase of $150.4 million (9.7 percent). The City of Rochester School District will receive $452.0 million in school aid, an increase of $40.3 million (9.8 percent).
As part of the City-by-City initiative, the budget helps finance two critical economic development initiatives in Rochester. It provides critical funding of $55 million for the demolition of Midtown Plaza, which is expected to bring more than 1,000 jobs to downtown Rochester when a new PAETECH building is built in its place. Additionally, $50 million is included for the University of Rochester’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute.
Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) revenue sharing funding will total $114.3 million for the Rochester and Finger Lakes regions, an increase of $15.2 million (15.4 percent) In the City of Rochester, AIM funding will total $95.4 million, an increase of $14.1 million (17.4 percent).
Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funding of $4.6 million is provided in Monroe County, an increase of $513,256 (12.4 percent), and will help fund important infrastructure initiatives. Additionally, the continued capping of local Medicaid costs and the state takeover of the Family Health Plus program will save local taxpayers in that county $9 million in 2008-09.
A summary of budget actions affecting the Rochester and Finger Lakes regions is included below.
SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS FOR ROCHESTER-FINGER LAKES REGION
2008-09 ENACTED BUDGET
Rochester-Finger Lakes Region
- School Aid: Total NYS School Aid to the Rochester and Finger Lakes region school districts will increase from $1.55 billion in 2007-08 to $1.70 billion in 2008-09, an increase of $150.4 million or 9.72%.
- STAR Property Tax Relief: Total STAR property tax relief to the residents of the Rochester-Finger Lakes region will increase from $352.8 million in 2007-08 to $368.7 million in 2008-09, an increase of $15.9 million or 4.5%.
- Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM): Total AIM funding for the Rochester-Finger Lakes region will increase from $99.1 million in 2007-08 to $114.3 million in 2008-09, an increase of $15.2 million or 15.4%.
- Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA): Total State Transit Operating Aid to Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) will increase from $32.6 million in 2007-08 to $33.0 million in 2008-09, an increase of $408,000 or 1.3%.
Monroe County
- School Aid: Total NYS School Aid to Monroe County school districts will increase from $851.0 million in 2007-08 to $945.0 in 2008-09, an increase of $94.0 million or 11.0%.
- STAR Property Tax Relief: Total STAR property tax relief to Monroe County residents will increase from $203.7 in 2007-08 to $216.6 million in 2008-09, an increase of $12.8 million or 5.9%.
- Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM): Total AIM funding for Monroe County residents will increase from $84.8 million in 2007-08 to $99.1 million in 2008-09, an increase of $14.3 million or 16.9%.
- Medicaid Cap/FHP Takeover: Projected savings for Monroe County for the Medicaid Cap and State takeover of Family Health Plus will total $9.0 million in 2008-09.
- PAETEC: $55 million will be provided to remediate and demolish Midtown Plaza, as part of the Executive Budget’s City-by-City Fund. The telecommunications firm PAETEC will then construct a new world headquarters on a portion of the property, bringing an expected 1,000 jobs to downtown Rochester.
- University of Rochester: $50 million will be provided to create a major research center at the University of Rochester, as part of the Executive Budget’s City-by-City Fund. This money will be used toward the construction of a 150,000-square-foot building, which will be the home of the University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for Monroe County will increase from $4.1 million in 2007-08 to $4.6 million in 2008-09, an increase of $513,256 or 12.4%.
Seneca County
- Medicaid Cap/FHP Takeover: Projected savings for Seneca County for the Medicaid Cap and State takeover of Family Health Plus will total $1.4 million in 2008-09.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for Seneca County will increase from $739,780 in 2007-08 to $854,271 in 2008-09, an increase of $114,491 or 15.5%.
Cayuga County
- Medicaid Cap/FHP Takeover: Projected savings for Cayuga County for the Medicaid Cap and State takeover of Family Health Plus will total $3.1 million in 2008-09.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for Cayuga County will increase from $2.31 million in 2007-08 to $2.69 million in 2008-09, an increase of $375,889 or 16.2%.
Tompkins County
- Medicaid Cap/FHP Takeover: Projected savings for Tompkins County for the Medicaid Cap and State takeover of Family Health Plus will total $3.1 million in 2008-09.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for Tompkins County will increase from $1.46 million in 2007-08 to $1.68 million in 2008-09, an increase of $223,286 or 15.3%.
Ontario County
- Medicaid Cap/FHP Takeover: Projected savings for Ontario County for the Medicaid Cap and State takeover of Family Health Plus will total $3.5 million in 2008-09.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for Ontario County will increase from $1.29 million in 2007-08 to $1.47 million in 2008-09, an increase of $175,075 or 1.5%.
Schuyler County
- Medicaid Cap/FHP Takeover: Projected savings for Schuyler County for the Medicaid Cap and State takeover of Family Health Plus will total $777,123 in 2008-09.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for Schuyler County will increase from $637,463 thousand in 2007-08 to $727,530 in 2008-09, an increase of $90,067 or 14.1%.
Livingston County
- Medicaid Cap/FHP Takeover: Projected savings for Livingston County for the Medicaid Cap and State takeover of Family Health Plus will total $2.0 million in 2008-09.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for Livingston County will increase from $1.21 million in 2007-08 to $1.38 million in 2008-09, an increase of $174,569 or 14.4%.
City of Rochester
- School Aid: Total NYS School Aid to the City of Rochester school districts will increase from $411.7 million in 2007-08 to $452.0 in 2008-09, an increase of $40.3 million or 9.8%.
- Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM): Total AIM funding for the City of Rochester will increase from $81.2 million in 2007-08 to $95.4 million in 2008-09, an increase of $14.1 million or 17.4%.
- Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS): Total CHIPS Funding for the City of Rochester will increase from $2.65 million in 2007-08 to $3.12 million in 2008-09, an increase of $468,055 or 17.7%.
City of Geneva
- Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM): Total AIM funding for the City of Geneva will increase by $138,024 or 7% to $2.1 million in 2008-09.
City of Ithaca
- Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM): Total AIM funding for the City of Ithaca will increase by $291,444 or 11.3% to $2.8 million in 2008-09.