Fiscal Year 2027 State Budget Includes $175K for Lynnfield Projects

The House and Senate have approved a $63.4 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2027 that includes $175,000 in state funding assistance for Lynnfield projects and additional local aid for the town. Governor Maura Healey signed the budget on July 9 as Chapter 137 of the Acts of 2026.

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and Senator Brendan P. Crighton (D-Lynn) successfully secured $50,000 in the budget for upgrades to the playground area at Newhall Park. Another $125,000 in state funding assistance has been earmarked for the Lynnfield Middle School, including $50,000 for capital improvements and $75,000 for repairs, replacement and upgrades to the lighting and sound system in the LMS auditorium, which hosts many school events.

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In addition to these funding earmarks, Lynnfield will also see increases in both Chapter 70 education aid and Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), which supports a wide range of municipal programs and services, including public safety. Lynnfield will receive $6,850,530 in Chapter 70 aid, an increase of $347,840 over Fiscal Year 2026, as well as $1,363,434 in UGGA funding, which is an increase of $68,742.

“I’m pleased to have been able to work with Senator Crighton to advocate for these important funding priorities for Lynnfield, and to deliver additional local aid to help support Lynnfield’s schools and preserve essential municipal services for the town’s residents,” said Representative Jones.

“We are proud to deliver a budget that provides funding for our schools and our transportation systems, invests in new programs to unlock housing production, and supports the services that are important to Massachusetts residents,” said Senator Crighton. “Partnering with Leader Jones, we are making investments that will positively impact our constituents and our communities.”

Jones and Crighton noted that the Fiscal Year 2027 budget includes language reconvening the Foundation Budget Review Commission, which will evaluate how foundation budgets are calculated and recommend potential changes to the Chapter 70 formula to ensure a more equitable distribution of school funding moving forward. The commission will also look at spending on other education-related programs to see where improvements can be made, such as rural school aid, charter school costs, out-of-district special education costs, and school district transportation costs, including road mileage and geographic area, with an initial report and recommendations due to be filed by October 31, 2028.

The Fiscal Year 2027 budget provides cities and towns with $57.1 million in regional school transportation, $35.2 million in homeless student transportation under the McKinney-Vento Act, $654.6 million in Special Education Circuit Breaker funding, and $200.4 million in charter school reimbursements. It also sets aside $16 million in rural school aid, along with $5.3 million for the school food services program and $4.4 million for the school breakfast program.