State Sen. Craig Johnson's office has been advertising its success — in tandem with Assembly members Charles Lavine (left) and Michelle Schimel (right) — in getting what is called “bullet aid” for schools within his 7th senatorial district. It works like this: Many of Johnson's districts, such as Great Neck and Port Washington, are located along the affluent Gold Coast and were subject this year to aid cuts ($171,000 for Great Neck; $50,000 for Port Washington). Johnson, a Democrat, would not have access to the Senate's Republican majority for redress. So he collaborated instead with the Assembly's Democratic majority where they approved special grants to those districts as bullet aid -- along the lines of member items ($200,000 for Great Neck; $50,000 for Port Washington).
John Hildebrand