Stoneham Legislators Secure $1,300,000 for Local Priorities

BOSTON—Senator Jason Lewis and Representative Michael Day secured $1,300,000 in funding for the Stoneham High School project as part of the Economic Development and Fiscal Year 2022 Closeout Supplemental Budget agreement.

In the face of rising inflation and significant supply chain cost increases, the Stoneham community has been faced with difficult choices on the scale and design features of the ongoing Stoneham High School project. As part of their work to provide assistance to the town, Stoneham’s legislative delegation announced that the Legislature has agreed to provide significant additional funding to the project, including:

• $500,000 to the overall building project;
• $500,000 to the town to defray the costs associated with moving the School Department’s administrative offices; and
• $300,000 for the restoration of the Stoneham Amphitheater, previously cut as a result of budgetary challenges.

The bill, An Act relating to economic growth and relief for the Commonwealth, will bring immediate financial assistance to the residents of Massachusetts. Over $400 million will be invested to support affordable housing, including allocations to assist the needs of immigrants and refugees. Health and human services groups will receive more than $1.4 billion for hospitals, gun safety initiatives, and community health programs, among other programs. $540 million will be invested into clean energy and climate resiliency initiatives, and over $500 million is directed to support early education, economic development, and community initiatives, including funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to provide relief to families facing rising energy costs.

“It’s good news that the House and Senate reached final agreement on this major economic development legislation that will help struggling families and bolster economic growth in the Commonwealth,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “I was very pleased to work closely with Rep. Day to also secure funds for local priorities, especially support for the new Stoneham High School project."

“I appreciate the support of my colleagues in the House who initially adopted these funding requests, and of Senator Lewis in helping to preserve these funding directives in the final legislative package,” said Representative Day. “The rising costs of inflation and supply chain issues have disproportionately impacted the Stoneham High School project, and I pursued these significant appropriations as a way to begin restoring some of the initial cuts we had to make to the project. We will continue to work with our colleagues in both the House and the Senate to provide assistance to our community on this and other improvements.”

The economic development bill is now on the Governor's desk awaiting his signature.