House votes to boost school aid to Salem to over $11.5 million

BOSTON, MA – Representative John Keenan (D-Salem) announced today that the House of Representatives last night voted overwhelmingly and in bipartisan fashion for an amendment to the state budget for next fiscal year that would increase school aid to Salem by almost 10%, or just over $1 million, to $11,560,700.

Representative Keenan, who voted in favor of the proposal, was pleased with the amendment. “We’re not back to the high water mark of 2003 just yet, but this is a huge step in the right direction,” said Representative Keenan, “This change represents a strong investment in our public schools in Salem. More importantly, we have done it in a fiscally responsible fashion.”

“Given Salem’s current fiscal situation, this aid is critical,” pointed out Representative Keenan. “Hopefully, this will enable our district to rehire many of those teachers and personnel who were recently laid off as a result of deficits.”

The House has already endorsed uncapping the state lottery fund, which by itself boosted aid to Salem by almost $1 million over the previous year. Combined with this new plan to invest more significantly in school aid, Salem’s total local aid package is set at $20,047,222 under the House’s plan – its highest level since the recession in 2003. The increase in school aid as a result of this amendment means that Salem would see a total increase of local aid from the state for fiscal year 2007 of 11.1%. This is the largest growth in local aid to Salem since fiscal year 1999.

The boost in school aid comes after a long debate over how much such funding should be appropriated in this year’s budget and how the funding should be allocated to each school district across the Commonwealth. In the initial budget recommendations released by the House Committee on Ways and Means, Salem was only slated to receive $11 million. The Governor’s budget recommendations allocated Salem just $11.3 million for school aid.

“While the initial recommendations were an increase over the previous year’s aid level, it was still insufficient to meet the needs and circumstances facing Salem’s schools and community,” said Representative Keenan, who had made local aid his top priority for this year’s budget debate. “The original proposal was just not enough. But this is yet another example of Speaker DiMasi’s willingness to listen to the members and respond to us and our requests.” Representative Keenan and several of his colleagues met late Wednesday night with the Speaker to make the case for increased funding for school aid.

The House will finish their budget deliberations this week and then the process will move to the State Senate for their actions. The State Senate is expected to take up the budget within the next several days.