Riverhead Local: Riverhead teachers union speaks out at Albany rally for bills to ban IDA school tax exemptions
“Representatives of unions, education associations, school funding advocates and government watchdog groups gathered in the State Capitol today to call for the passage of legislation, pending in both chambers of the State Legislature, that seeks to prohibit industrial development agencies from abating school district taxes.
The Riverhead Central Faculty Association was among the participants. RCFA President Greg Wallace took the podium to talk about impacts of tax breaks locally.
‘Between 2014 and 2021, the Riverhead IDA has awarded more than $23 million in tax breaks for proposed developments throughout the town of Riverhead,’ Wallace said.
‘The diversion of these funds has created an extreme fiscal burden on the school district by directly impacting the services we can provide to our students. Last year alone, $2.7 million was diverted from the Riverhead Central School District by the Riverhead IDA, whose members are appointed and not elected,” he said. “These funds are sorely needed to strengthen our educational and academic intervention programs, as well as mental health services…With an additional $2.7 million, our district could add at a minimum of 30 educational professionals, which would have an immediate impact on the students we serve.’ ”
Read the full story at Riverhead Local.