State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) reported the New York State Senate passed the 2014-15 education budget that will increase school aid by $1.1 billion, bringing total support for public schools to $22.1 billion. The 2014-15 State Budget distributes school aid fairly and equitably across the state, will help reduce pressure on local property taxpayers, provides additional support for charter schools and for early education programs, and makes important changes to address serious concerns raised about the Common Core program.

Education highlights of the 2014-15 State Budget include the following:

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) reported there will be property tax relief from the 2014-15 state budget, including a record amount of funding for the STAR program -- $3.4 billion -- and $1.5 billion in relief over the next three years from a new property tax freeze program.

* New Property Tax Rebates – The new property tax rebate program would provide direct relief to taxpayers in school districts and municipalities that stay within the two percent property tax cap and submit efficiency plans to the state that result in local cost savings of at least one percent or have already implemented cost reduction plans at the local level.

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) reported the New York State Senate passed transportation budget bills that provide critically important funding for roads, bridges, transit. The unprecedented new investments in our state’s infrastructure and transportation not only improves the quality of life for all New Yorkers, but also keeps our economy moving.

Some of the highlights of the transportation budget include:

* Local Road Improvement Funding: The budget sustains record-level funding of $438 million for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs). These investments will benefit counties, cities, towns, and villages throughout New York and help municipalities undertake new infrastructure repair projects.

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) announced the agreed-on 2014-15 state budget includes some key priorities goals of his and his fellow Senate Republican Conference, including: more than $1 billion in additional aid to schools that is distributed fairly across the state; additional property relief for hardworking families; tax cuts to help businesses create new job opportunities; and comprehensive ethics and election reforms.

Highlights of the 2014-15 State Budget include:

$1.5 Billion in New Property Tax Relief

Senator Serrano Encourages New Yorkers 
to Turn Off Lights this Saturday for Earth Hour 

(East Harlem, NY)- "As we continue to recover from last month's tragedy, I am extremely proud of  the way the community has continued to help each other during this time of need. Investigations are ongoing and I am looking into ways to ensure tragedies like this one will never happen again. 

"I would like to thank all of my constituents for the tremendous display of compassion that was exhibited by the amount of donations delivered to my district office for those affected by the East Harlem building collapse. "

"A special thanks to the parents and students from PS 87 in the Upper West Side, for their generous contributions of food, clothing, toiletries and other necessities made to those in dire need," concluded Serrano.