Rep. Festa to lead crusade for funds
Published on January 20th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - Just as he said he would, Mike Festa, Stoneham's newest representative to the state legislature, is making good on his commitment to look into what the town sees as an inequity regarding state aid for education.
Since his swearing in to the office on January 6, Festa stated that much of his time thus far has been taken up with talking, particularly with other freshman legislators who have been eager to share experiences and expectations with one another.
"I have to get my sea legs," he said.
But he has also been talking with others who are close to the funding issue, an issue that the Town of Stoneham has great concern over. One such person is Department of Education Commissioner David Driscoll.
At a December meeting of the Finance and Advisory Board, Festa stated that he shared the board's concern with the consistently low levels of state funding that Stoneham has received in recent years, specifically in the form of Chapter 70 money.
He also assured the board that there has been recognition on the state level regarding an inequity in the formula that determines state funding levels. That formula stems from the Education Reform mandates that school systems are required to implement, and with which the state has pledged to help communities fund.
The level of state aid that Stoneham has found itself at pales in comparison to the significantly higher levels of neighboring and similar communities, such as Melrose.
Also present at the December meeting was School Committee Chairman Stephen Gucciardi who called for a challenge to the formula that determines state aid awards.
"What's wrong with Stoneham's numbers? Why isn't the formula helping? ...Stoneham, for some reason, is greatly disadvantaged compared to like communities," Gucciardi said last month.
Festa reported to the Independent this week that he has had conversations regarding Stoneham's concerns with Driscoll and with State Representative Paul Casey.
He was happy to report that as a basis for discussion on the issue, Driscoll is holding a seminar, scheduled for this Friday, on all matters regarding education, including Chapter 70 money, the pothole fund and even MCAS tests.
In addition, another session is expected to take place next week with Driscoll, State Representative Paul Casey, State Senator Richard Tisei and Festa, along with a member of Driscoll's staff whose expertise is in the Chapter 70 formula, to hopefully shed some light on Stoneham's concerns.
Festa advised that following that, a meeting will be called with the Finance Board and School Committee chairman to discuss the matter further.
"We need to get a better handle on why Stoneham is getting the short end of the stick," Festa stated.
The Boston Globe reported on Tuesday that the towns of Milton and Avon shared Stoneham's concerns regarding low levels of state aid awarded to them year after year. This year, after bringing the issue to the attention of their legislators by charging that the state aid formula was unfair to them, both towns are due to receive significantly more state money.
The town of Milton, which has complained of similar problems within its school system as Stoneham, was successful in its plea and was awarded $750,000 by the state.
Avon will be receiving an increased award of $100,000.
Hopefully, the upcoming discussions regarding Stoneham's standing on the state aid list will likewise result in increased education funding.
As he warned the Finance Board in December and reiterated this week to the Independent, Festa stated, "It is unreal to expect change this year."
However, he added that by starting to look at the issue, "we'll get a better idea of what we need to do to propose amendments and change to help communities like Stoneham."
These efforts, he said, are expected to assist the legislators in figuring out a strategy with which to pursue the issue.
Tisei is expected to address the Finance Board at its meeting on the January 25.
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