State Rep. Bowen To Host Education Funding Talk Amid Rising Cost Crisis

BEVERLY, MA — State Rep. Hannah Bowen (D-Beverly) will host a community conversation on state education funding amid increasing frustration among local leaders across the state that the Chapter 70 funding is not keeping up with rising costs and inflation.

Bowen's event is designed to allow constituents to hear expert perspectives, ask questions and provide input and creative ideas on the topic.

"We are excited for an opportunity for stakeholders to share their perspectives and learn from one other, as well as for our office to generate ideas for future advocacy and legislation," Bowen's office told Patch.

The conversation will take place at the Ryal Side Civic Center from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 5.

Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill has said that projected city expenses will not meet revenues for 2026, part of what a city Finance Forecast Committee has outlined as a "structural deficit." The Forecast Committee said layoffs, increased fees, or a Proposition 2 1/2 override in the coming years may be needed to make up for those rising costs amid limited ability to raise property taxes under Prop 2 1/2.

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"We would not do all of the above ," Cahill said of the tax increases, fee increases, layoffs. "Those are all possible ways to meet our budgetary obligations.

"Everything that was suggested is on the table."

Costs have risen across the board for districts, and municipalities, with officials blaming those on volatile special education costs, sharp rises in insurance obligations, utility costs and labor costs related to new teacher contracts.

Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt recently blamed state funding for what he called a "deeply troubling" budget outlook in the coming years.

"We are not getting the net increase in state aid that we've gotten in years past. The number in real dollars that cities and towns are getting in state aid is not meeting the needs that we have.

"It's deeply troubling."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)