Keep Framingham Affordable
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| Officials fear budget crisis | Wednesday, April 19, 2006 |
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| Tyler B. Reed 508-626-4423 | Metrowest Daily News |
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FRAMINGHAM -- Town officials are projecting a budget shortfall of more than
$7.2 million next year after news last week that a legislative committee on
Beacon Hill recommended no increase in education aid for Framingham.
With a gap that large, "we are going to have a crisis on our hands," Selectman Charlie Sisitsky said last night at a joint meeting with the School Committee, Finance Committee and a state legislator. The draft spending plan released by the House Ways and Means Committee calls for increasing Chapter 70 funding statewide by $92 million, but it would not boost assistance in most MetroWest towns. The news last week was a shocker for local education advocates who had predicted at least modest increases. In January, Gov. Mitt Romney proposed increasing school aid by $164 million and changing the funding formula in a way that would help communities like Framingham. Romney's proposal would have increased Framingham's aid by $1.3 million. Town officials had hoped for a windfall from the state to help defray rising costs and a predicted gap of close to $6 million in the schools. The school district is facing skyrocketing electricity and school busing costs and contractual salary increases. "I'm still trying to recover from the governor actually giving more money to public education than the House," Superintendent of Schools Christopher Martes said. "People are absolutely furious," School Committee Vice Chairman Pam Richardson said of leaders in other affected towns. State Rep. Deborah Blumer, D-Framingham, has filed several amendments in the House to increase local aid, including one that would restore cuts make in fiscal 2003. If approved, that change would send $1.6 million more to Framingham, Blumer said. "We're looking to improve Chapter 70 money by at least as much as was in the governor's budget," she said. Officials townwide are making plans to trim their budgets and the schools are bracing for the possibility of layoffs. "These cuts are going to have to involve laying off people," Sisitsky said. The School Committee will begin meeting weekly through May to make plans for cutting the budget. The board is asking Town Meeting to delay taking up budget-related articles until June 6 to give school officials time to nail down state aid numbers and settle on cuts. The state House is scheduled to finalize its budget proposal by the end of April, the Senate by the end of May.
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