BILL NUMBER:  S6400

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
the computation of certain building aid

 PURPOSE :

This bill would authorize two multi-year cost allowances in a
five-year period for the computation of Building Aid for Yonkers
Public School projects authorized pursuant to chapter 355 of the laws
of 2016. Additional multi-year cost allowances could not be reset for
effected buildings for a period of ten-years after establishment of
the first maximum cost allowance.

In addition, the bill would allow the Yonkers Public Schools to
receive an enhanced building aid ratio for projects authorized
pursuant to chapter 355 of the laws of 2016.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one of the bill amends paragraph (a) of subdivision 6 of
section 3602 of the education law by adding a new subparagraph 7 to
such paragraph (a) to provide that projects authorized pursuant to
chapter three hundred fifty-five of the laws of two thousand sixteen
shall be permitted to utilize two multi-year cost allowances in a
five-year period. The new subparagraph 7 also provides that subsequent
              

multi-year cost allowances may not be established for a period of
ten-years from the date of the first multi-year cost allowance
authorized by this subparagraph.

Section two of the bill amends subparagraph 2 of paragraph c of
subdivision 6 of section 3602 of education law by adding a new clause
(d) which will allow that for school years 2017-2018 and thereafter,
school building projects authorized pursuant to chapter three hundred
fifty-five of the laws of two thousand sixteen shall compute aid using
a building aid ratio of ninety-eight hundredths.

Section three of the bill states that the act shall take effect
immediately.

 JUSTIFICATION :

New York State recognized the critical needs of Yonkers public school
buildings when they enacted Chapter 355 of the laws of 2016, which
established Phase I of the Yonkers City School District Joint Schools
Construction and Modernization Act. The Yonkers School District is in
desperate need of additional classroom seats, replacement of old and
outdated school buildings and remediation to address health and safety
issues. The expansive amount of school facility needs cannot be
undertaken by the Yonkers School District without additional support
from the State. This bill is intended to ensure the District can move
forward with Phase I.

The State utilizes multi-year cost allowances when calculating
Building Aid for eligible capital projects. Once a school district has
reached its maximum cost allowance (MCA) for a particular project,
additional State contribution is not available for a period of
five-years. This particular limitation will have an adverse impact on
the efficient execution of the Yonkers projects, increase the cost of
these projects, restrict the use of limited resources and
unnecessarily disrupt the academic process. This bill would address
the problem by providing two multi-year cost allowances in a ten-year
period.

This bill also recognizes the pressing facility needs for the District
by providing Yonkers with an enhanced building aid ratio for projects
authorized pursuant to Phase I of the Joint Schools Construction and
Modernization Act.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

None.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

This measure will reduce costs for the Yonkers Public Schools and the
cost to the State is to be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.