Politics & Government
Stoneham Delegation Secures Major Budget Victories
Senator Lewis and Representative Day Secure Historic Funding Levels for Stoneham Public Schools and $340,000 for Local Priorities
BOSTON—State Senator Jason Lewis and State Representative Michael S. Day announced that they secured significant, direct investments in a variety of Stoneham financial priorities as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Massachusetts state budget.
Representative Day and Senator Lewis filed amendments for and ultimately secured $100,000 for the Town of Stoneham to mark its upcoming 300th anniversary, $100,000 for the Stoneham Historical Society, $75,000 to help the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Winchester open an inclusive café in downtown Stoneham that will employ adults and teens with developmental disabilities, and $65,000 in funding that will enable the Stoneham Chamber of Commerce to transform currently vacant commercial spaces in the downtown area into cultural “pop-ups” to enhance community engagement and economic development.
“This budget will deliver substantial resources to make our communities more affordable for working families by helping to address the high costs of housing, healthcare, child care, and college,” said State Senator Jason Lewis. “Having led the passage of the Student Opportunity Act as the Senate Chair of the Education Committee, I’m especially pleased that we are able to support the students, teachers, and staff at Stoneham Public Schools with the largest increase in Chapter 70 school funding for Stoneham in decades. I’m also thrilled that Representative Day and I were able to secure funding for some important local Stoneham priorities, including the celebration of the Town's tricentennial and an inclusive cafe to be operated by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield that will employ adults and teens with developmental disabilities.”
“These funding initiatives will guarantee that Stoneham’s proud past and bright future will be on full display as we celebrate the 300th anniversary of our founding and reimagine what our downtown will look like in years to come,” State Representative Michael S. Day said. “I am excited to see us come together to celebrate our history and our future and appreciate the partnership with Senator Lewis that enabled us to secure this funding.”
The annual spending plan includes an unprecedented $7,259,629 dollars in education funding for Stoneham public schools. This 27% increase of over $1.5 million more in direct funding for Stoneham schools represents one of the largest infusions of state support for any town in the Commonwealth. Known as “Chapter 70” funding, lawmakers recently updated the formula utilized to calculate the Commonwealth’s contribution to defray local education costs through passing the Student Opportunity Act.
The funding proposal also makes significant investments in supporting ongoing municipal operations. The delegation utilized the state’s unrestricted general governmental aid line item to secure $4,442,975 in direct funding for Stoneham. From health care costs to building materials, expenses have increased significantly for everyone, including municipal government. This unrestricted funding, a 3.1% increase over last year’s total, will be made available to Stoneham to pay for local projects.
The FY24 budget, which received final passage by the House of Representatives and Senate on July 31, 2023, provides funding for a wide range of programs and services across the Commonwealth. The budget delivers historic levels of investment in public education, housing, healthcare, workforce development, climate preparedness, and much more, as part of a comprehensive strategy to make Massachusetts more affordable and equitable for all.
The budget now awaits action from Governor Healey before becoming law.
