Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I-D-WF-Sag Harbor) today announced that the Assembly's 2013 State Budget Proposal calls for more than $660 million over three years in increased aid, above the Executive's budget, for programs to help the State's local governments.

Thiele stated, "Our budget would provide increased funding to local government programs that have been flat for the last several years. I am concerned about the fiscal challenges that New York's localities have to face. This proposal will help local governments get through these lean economic times."

The Assembly Budget Proposal provides increased funding to programs critical to local government operations, including the Aid & Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) Program, which would receive more than $220 million above the Executive's Budget. It would provide an 11 percent increase in AIM funding for the State's cities, towns and villages. This would be the first funding boost to AIM in five years. The proposed Assembly Budget Proposal also would establish a three-year plan to provide increased funding to the AIM program to help localities keep pace with the cost of future municipal expenses.

Another local government program that would receive additional funding above the Executive budget is the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), which is important to the roads and highways of communities across the state. Under the Assembly plan, CHIPS will receive an increase of $15 million, four percent more funding than the Executive's Budget, for a total of $378 million.

In addition, at the request of Assemblyman Thiele, state law would be modified to provide AIM funding to new villages formed after 2005. Under current law, such villages were shut out of AIM funding. Under Thiele's proposal, new villages such as Sagaponack and Mastic Beach will get their fair share of AIM funding, which is based on population.

Thiele stated, "My thanks to the Villages of Sagaponack and Mastic Beach for bringing this inequity to my attention. I am pleased that the State Assembly has included my request to include new villages in the program. I am also told that through the efforts of State Senator Ken LaValle that the Senate proposal also includes these two Villages for AIM funding."

Below is the fiscal impact on local governments within the 1st Assembly District for AIM Funding: