Citizens organize to fight for more state funding
Published on March 21st, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - A group of concerned citizens got together at Stoneham High Monday night to tell Stoneham parents and political leaders what the community must do to get more money from the state.
“We have to ask our Selectmen to fight for money this year and write to the Governor and go to public hearings for bills that could help Stoneham,” said Linda Corapi, the chief organizer of the Monday night forum.
Stoneham must cut more than $1 million by the Annual Town Meeting in May to balance the fiscal 2002 town budget. Making these cuts means losing policemen, firefighters and maybe teachers. To avoid further cuts in the future Corapi and her supporters say Stonehamites have to act now.
“If we don’t get change now, we’ll be right back in the same budget situation next year,” said Finance Board member John Warren.
Corapi, with the help of fellow Stonehamites Nina McGrath, Judy Katz and Shelly McNeil, organized a forum to discuss Chapter 70. Under the Education Reform Act of 1993 Chapter 70 provides general municipal relief to ease the property tax burden on communities struggling to pay for public education. The state did this in anticipation of education costs rising faster than the 2 1/2 percent property tax cap set by Proposition 2 1/2.
“This is important because it affects all departments,” Warren said. “Chapter 70 isn’t school funding. It’s municipal relief.” In other words, although the money is intended for the schools, the intent of the funding is to free up local tax receipts to pay for other town services.
The Department of Education is developing the next phase of Education Reform. Funding to implement a new multi-year plan will probably become part of the fiscal 2003 budget, but pending legislation may influence the shape and content of this bill.
Because of the funding inequity under the 1993 Education Reform Act, Stoneham “lost” close $17 million in state aid over the past 10 years, compared to communities with similar wealth, according to Warren.
“Let’s not let this happen again” was the unofficial battle cry heard at the Monday meeting.
The organizers of the Chapter 70 forum drafted an agenda and notes for the discussion which were distributed at the door to the 600 attendees. State Senator Richard Tisei (R-3rd Middlesex), State Representative Michael Festa (D-35th Middlesex) and State Representative Paul Casey (D-34th Middlesex) were in attendance to discuss pending bills relevant to Stoneham. Mary Frantz represented the Mass League of Women Voters, a sponsor of a bill discussed; she is also on the panel developing the next phase of Education Reform.
Acting Town Administrator Ron Florino and town department heads also spoke about their budget woes.
Discussion of each topic was carefully limited as specified on the agenda.
Town Moderator Mike Rotondi moderated the forum, which would, he jokingly noted, involve no amendments or hand counts.
“The meeting was excellent, professionally run. My hat’s off to Linda,” said Selectman Darin Leahy.
But Leahy said he did not want to “get people’s hopes up,” saying that he did not think the Selectmen could squeeze anything more from the state this year.
Sources in the state house echoed Leahy’s comments, saying that there is simply less to go around this year.
But the legislators at the Monday night forum pointed to several bills as hope for the future.
Senate Bill 330 is sponsored by Tisei. The state figures out how much each community needs to spend on education — the foundation budget — before figuring out how much the communities will get in base aid from the state. Bill 330 creates an appeals process for communities whose state aid as a percentage of foundation aid is below 15 percent. Qualifying communities can petition the state for funds to bring their base aid up to 15 percent. The state Department of Education would have discretion to determine whether a community needs relief.
At 18 percent in fiscal 2002, Stoneham would not qualify, but Tisei aide David D’Arcangelo said the Senator hopes to rework the bill to encompass Stoneham. The Stoneham Finance Board supports this bill.
Senate Bill 283 asks for a 24 percent minimum in state base aid funding, similar to the previous bill. But under 283 the funding would be automatic to any qualifying community. Stoneham would get $1.2 million next year but Lexington would get $3.2 million, and some of these funds would be diverted from poorer districts. The Finance Board opposes this measure, viewing it as a two wrongs make a right-style solution.
Senate Bill 313 is co-sponsored by the League of Woman Voters and it goes to the heart of the Chapter 70 funding dilemma — the formula used to calculate wealth. The current formula has Stoneham in with Lexington, and that does not make sense using any financial analysis. A new formula might finally set things straight and give Stoneham its fair share of state money. The Stoneham Finance Board supports this bill.
Senate Bill 647 sprung from an idea of Finance Board member Richard Gregorio. The state gives communities payments in lieu of taxes for state property within the communities. However, the MDC is not eligible for such a payment under the purported rational that the town derives benefits from having the parkland. Gregorio argued at the Monday meeting that the town also expends time and money keeping the park safe from fire and crime.
Senator Tisei has drafted Bill 647 specifically for Stoneham: the bill refers to communities with a land mass of more than 25 percent state land.
According to Festa, a proponent of the bill in the House, if the bill passes, Stoneham will receive $50-$100,000 a year, depending on the eventual reimbursement calculation and the total level of funding approved.
To learn more about these bills and to make the Stoneham presence felt by law-makers, citizens can attend the public hearings for these bills at the State House. The hearings for 330, 283 and 313 are on April 5. Corapi is chartering a bus for the day. The hearing for 647 is on June 19.
Contact your neighborhood PTO for more information and get on board so Stoneham doesn’t get taken for a ride by Ed Reform II.
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