We need to work with other Legislators and with government leadership to increase local municipal aid and Chapter 70 school aid.
Improving Local Municipal and School Aid -- We need to look to how we can increase local funding for our towns and for our schools. In Sandwich, state funding accounts for less than 25-percent of education and school expenditures, but our total spending equals about 70-percent of the Town's annual operating budget. We have to locally cover so much of the costs for our schools that it leaves very little for enhancing police and fire services, public works, and other needs. Other cities and towns receive state funding at 75-, 80- and 90-percent of their school costs. For years, we have been frustrated by the educational funding reform of 1993. We need to revamp the entire formula and look to revise the '93 act so that we can adequately fund education services in the district without putting public safety and well-being at risk. To do this, we need to work with others to ensure that other districts do not lose funding as we try to increase funding here.
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