Bonacic Gives Delaware County Budget Report

State Senator John J. Bonacic (R/I/C - Mt. Hope), today announced more than $400,000 in State funds targeted to Delaware County municipalities and not for profit organizations. The funding includes:

Andes Fire Department $10,000;

East Branch Emergency Squad $10,000;

Franklin Fire and Emergency Squad $20,000;

Meridale Fire Department and Emergency Squad $10,000;

Sidney Fire Department $10,000;

Walton Fire Department $10,000.

Each Department will purchase equipment or make capital improvements to their firehouses with the funding. In addition, the following municipalities will receive funding:

Towns of Bovina, Colchester, Hamden, Stamford, Roxbury, Kortright, and the Village of Fleischmanns: $10,000 each to make municipal improvements or purchase municipal equipment;

Town of Franklin: $30,000 to help repair the Town pool, which was damaged by the 2006 flood;

Town of Tompkins: $50,000 to assist with flood related projects and an additional $20,000 to help purchase a new ambulance;

Village of Walton: $20,000 to help purchase a new police vehicle;

Delaware County: $25,000 to help purchase equipment for the Sheriff;

Town of Walton: $50,000 to pay for expenses associated with the 2006 flood.

The following not for profit organizations will also receive funding: Bright Hill Press: $6,000 for roof repairs; Delaware County Agricultural Society: $40,000 to make repairs to the County fairgrounds; Foundation for the Open Eye, Inc.: $5,000 to make theater improvements at the Open Eye Theater; Heart of the Catskills Human Society: $10,000 to make building repairs; Video Access Network: $5,000 to purchase equipment so public meetings and events can be put on public access television; Walton VFW Post 270: $1,300 to purchase a defibrillator.

In addition, Delaware County schools received substantial aid increases under State budget. Total school aid increased to Delaware County schools by nearly 14%, with individual school aid per District, including costs relating to building construction, BOCES, and transportation, as well as general operating expenses such as salaries, increasing as follows:

The following school districts received the following increases as shown in dollar amount and percentage:

Andes: $124,796 17.1%

Downsville $283,240 22.6%

Charlotte Valley $494,345 12.8%

Delhi $608,523 9.1 %

Franklin $401,831 14.3%

Hancock $711,930 15.6%

Margaretville $358,930 15.4%

Roxbury $350,368 12.7%

Sidney $1,609,124 15.3%

Stamford $531,172 14.4%

S. Kortright $193,875 5.9%

Walton $1,342,615 15.0%.

"Our school aid overall was positive for Delaware County and our entire Senate District. In addition, we were able to provide $30 million in funding for assistance to Dairy Farmers, as well as some additional flood relief to the hardest hit communities," Bonacic said.

Senator Bonacic worked closely with Governor Spitzer to modify the Governor's original healthcare reductions, which would have hurt smaller hospitals. "I have found Governor Spitzer to be open-minded, a good listener, and someone I am able to work with so far. I believe his final budget addressed the needs of those of us from outside the City and I appreciate the opportunities he and his staff have given me for candidate discussion on the budget and many other issues," Senator Bonacic concluded.

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