The state legislature has agreed to increase local aid to cities and towns by 4.4%. That is welcome news to Dartmouth and other communities struggling to balance their budgets. You can read the S-T article about the increase in aid here. The distribution of the aid has yet to be announced but if Dartmouth were to receive an additional 4.4%, the amount would help cover the $1.2 million shortfall on the general government side. The override question for $1.5 million includes $300K of new spending.
I am not sure what portion of the aid the 4.4% includes but overall the state contributed about $12 million in Chapter 70 and other aid last year. 4.4% of that would be $528K. Again, I don't have all the details but any added revenue has to be welcome at this point.
UPDATEThis article from WICKED LOCAL Plymouth gives a little more detail on the categories of aid that will see increases
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
State aid increase
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14 comments:
Sounds like we won't be falling into the ocean when the override fails after all. Great news!!!!!
This new revelation that we will be receiving an increase in state aid is great news. Can't wait to hear the details. Will it be applied through the aggregate wealth formula or a straight 4.4% increase? The timing of this news should really make things interesting with regard to the april 1st vote. In other news, Joanne Moniz called and will be attending the CFRG candidates night this Saturday at the grange hall in Russells Mills Village. I had a great conversation with her and feel she is well qualified to run for school committee. She is a teacher at Voke and has earned her degrees to be a school administrator. Her first impression on me was very good.
Barry, is Ms. Moniz's other qualification include her willingness to attend your event? I hope you read Greg L. letter in the ST this morning. You may learn something. But then again I doubt it.
I think Ms. Moniz' willingness to address the public, including the CFRG, is a good thing.
It would be a shame if the CFRG attack squad were to start rejecting qualified candidates because they are willing to address a citizens group. Seems kind of controlling to me.
I welcome hearing Ms. Monniz's views and watching her interact with voters. What seems a shame to me is that some folks forget that when they are elected they represent ALL voters, not just those with which they happen to agree.
yep more discredit by not attending a CFRG sponsored event from the "Dartmouth" poster...just plain wrong no one should be made to look bad if they don't attend the CFRG event or ay other event for that matter.
That's because the CFRG and Barry are desperately looking for validation without credentials or experience.
I commend each and every candidate who refused to attend the event of the CFRG who are a group of discontents out to ruin our Town. Good For you!!!!!
Looks like the aid will be about $250K, and will be all Chapt. 70, so it will help the schools but won't help the Town side.
I think it's unfortunate that the Russell's Mills Grange is allowing a political-activist group to use the Grange to sponsor their group's event. The community would have been much better served if it were the Grange sponsoring the event. If that had been the case, I'm sure other candidates and residents would have viewed it as unbiased and been willing to attend. I'm disappointed in the Grange for having crossed a political line.
frankg - I'm sure you would agree the additional state aid in the form of Ch 70 monies will benefit the town by virtue of benefiting the schools.
Anonymous - Of course. There is no "us vs. them", only an "us". There were previous posts about how the increased aid was going to help the Town side with the budget shortfall for FY09, so I was merely pointing out that there would be no windfall for that.
There are many high priority needs for the entire town, but the most pressing is the $1.2M shortfall in keeping the Town running for another year. It would have been nice to also get some money from the State to help that. Without a functioning town the rest becomes secondary.
Thanks for the clarification frankg-I know you would not have the 'us' vs 'them' mentality-I was over sensitive to your post-thanks.
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