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SENATOR JOYCE TO HOLD EASTON OFFICE HOURS
ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1
SENATOR JOYCE ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF EDUCATION FUNDING REFORM Would increase Easton Funding by $78,568
EDUCATION REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY FOR SENATOR JOYCE
LEGISLATURE PLANS LEVEL FUNDING FOR LOCAL AID, FUNDING INCREASES FOR TRANSPORTATION
AND SPECIAL EDUCATION
CULTURAL GRANTS AWARDED IN EASTON
IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE POSITIONS IN EASTON
A Closer Look at the Easton School Building Project
Dear Concerned Easton Parents and Taxpayers
For Immediate Release: October, 2004
Further Information: Marie Blanchard (617) 722-1643
SENATOR JOYCE TO HOLD EASTON OFFICE HOURS
ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1
Senator Brian A. Joyce is pleased to announce that he will hold office
hours in Easton on Friday, October 1st from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the
Easton Town Hall.
“I encourage all interested constituents to attend my district office
hours,” said Senator Joyce. “This is an opportunity for me to
listen to the concerns of the people of Easton, and hopefully provide
some guidance and solutions.”
Easton Town Hall is located at 136 Elm Street. As always, individuals
with questions or concerns are encouraged to call Senator Joyce’s
State House office at (617) 722-1643, or his home at (617) 696-0200 day
or night. The Senator can also be reached by email at [email protected]
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For Immediate Release: July 24, 2004
Further Information: Marie Blanchard (617) 722-1643
SENATOR JOYCE ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF EDUCATION FUNDING
REFORM Would increase Easton Funding by $78,568
School districts in Massachusetts would gain valuable additional education
assistance under a plan passed this week by the Senate.
The legislation seeks to address current inequities in the state’s
education funding formula and will mean thousands of extra dollars for
communities across the state.
“Many towns have suffered for some time under a formula that has
shortchanged their school districts,” said Senator Brian A. Joyce.
“This plan seeks to iron out these inequities and deliver additional
assistance to school district across the Commonwealth who are in dire
need of added financial resources.”
Specifically, the proposed formula change will mean an additional $78,568
for Easton in FY06, with further increases each year for the following
six years totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Under the bill, Chapter 70 education aid will increase by $150 to $175
million a year, while helping reduce disparities in aid to and local contributions
required of similar communities and encouraging professional growth among
teachers and administrators.
To cope with the rising costs of health care, special education, and other
expenses while attracting and retaining good teachers, maintaining small
class sizes and expanding opportunities for students, all districts would
see aid grow by at least $50 per pupil.
The legislation has been sent to the House of Representatives for action.
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For Immediate Release: April 22, 2004
Further Information: Marie Blanchard (617) 722-1643
EDUCATION REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY FOR SENATOR JOYCE
LEGISLATURE PLANS LEVEL FUNDING FOR LOCAL AID, FUNDING INCREASES FOR TRANSPORTATION
AND SPECIAL EDUCATION
“With this budget we are preserving our investment in our students
and schools,” said Senator Brian A. Joyce this week, announcing that
a Senate and House budget resolution for the next fiscal year will be
boosted by $75 million for local aid, to more than $3.1 billion.
The Legislature’s plan also commits to an $80 million increase in
Special Education Circuit Breaker funding – reimbursing communities
approximately 65 percent compared to last year’s 35 percent reimbursement
rate, and the plan increases Regional School Transportation by $11.6 million
over last year’s funding level.
“We are at risk of having our economic downturn back the progress
we’ve made in our schools but the Legislature has made the choice
to preserve and reinforce our commitment to classrooms,” said Senator
Joyce.
Senator Joyce noted that the proposed figures for education will mean
a slight increase in funding for Easton, to $7,481,507 in FY05.
Senator Joyce expects that education will continue to be a top priority
in the FY05 budget and reiterated his commitment to “investing in
our schools so that the progress we have made in improving public education
can be maintained and ensure our students of a bright future while at
the same time continue our efforts to keep pressure off local property
taxpayers.”
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For Immediate Release: January 24, 2002
Further Information: Marie Blanchard (617) 722-1643
CULTURAL GRANTS AWARDED IN EASTON
Senators Brian A. Joyce and Robert S. Creedon, Representatives Christine
Canavan, Geraldine Creedon, David Flynn and the Easton Cultural Council
have announced that 17 grants, totaling $6,172 have been awarded to cultural
programs in the Town of Easton The grants were awarded from a pool of
funds distributed by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency
that supports public programs and educational activities in the arts,
sciences and humanities.
Grant recipients include the Dancing Ground, Moreau Hall Elementary School,
Easton Junior High School, the Southeastern Massachusetts Arts Collaborative
and Stonehill College.
The Easton Cultural Council is part of a grass-roots network of 335 local
councils that serve every city and town in the state. The program is the
largest decentralized program of its kind in the United States. The state
legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural
Council, which then allocates funds to each local council. Decisions about
which activities to support are made at the community level by a board
of municipally appointed volunteers.
Close to $2 million will be distributed by local cultural councils across
the Commonwealth in 2003. Grants support an enormous range of grass-roots
activities: concerts, exhibitions, radio and video productions, field
trips for schoolchildren, after-school youth programs, writing workshops,
historical preservation efforts, lectures, First Night celebrations, nature
and science education programs for families and town festivals. Over 40
percent of the grants are awarded to educational activities for schoolchildren.
The Easton Cultural Council will seek applications again in the fall.
Information and forms are available at both libraries and at the Easton
Town Office. The next deadline is October 15, 2003.
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For Immediate Release: December 6, 2002
Further Information: Marie Blanchard (617) 722-1643
IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE POSITIONS
IN EASTON
Senator Brian A. Joyce announces that positions are available in a training
program for seniors interested in earning a supplemental income while
developing job skills and participating in community service.
The Senior AIDES (Able Industrious Dedicated Energetic Service) Program,
administered by Old Colony Elderly Services, is a federally funded program
that places seniors in positions such as teachers aides, office workers,
computer operators, child and adult care workers and custodians.
The program is designed to promote independence, self-assurance and revitalize
job skills so seniors can transition back to unsubsidized employment.
To be eligible, applicants mush be 55 years or older, meet income guidelines,
live in a service area and have the long-term goal of integrating into
the workplace.
If interested, contact the Senior AIDES Coordinator at (508) 584-1561
or 1-800-242-0246.
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10/23/02
A Closer Look at the Easton School Building Project
By: Senator Brian A. Joyce
At the request of several residents, I am writing to address some of the
current concerns regarding Easton’s proposed school building project
and the upcoming December 10th town election to approve the project. Given
the current fiscal climate, I understand the caution exhibited by parents
and school officials as well as property taxpayers; I hope to allay any
concerns with respect to reimbursement and the state’s commitment
to funding first-rate public school facilities for the children of our
Commonwealth.
Since its inception in 1948, the School Building Assistance program has
never reneged on its commitment to reimburse municipalities for approved
school building costs. Although the recent and projected state budget
shortfalls affect all aspects of state spending, my colleagues and I are
committed to minimizing the impact on education budget items, including
school building assistance. The question is not if a community will receive
reimbursement, but when.
There are over 250 schools currently on the School Building Project reimbursement
list in almost 150 municipalities across the state – including five
in my senate district. While the number of projects authorized has been
limited over the past two years due to the state’s economic slowdown,
please be assured that the annual number of authorized projects will increase
as the economy improves, and Easton’s project, if approved by the
voters, will move closer to the top of the list.
In the Fiscal Year 2003 budget, short-term borrowing limits were extended
to allow municipalities to borrow money for up to seven years, rather
than just five, in an effort to help towns cope with the slower pace of
reimbursement without further burdening local property taxpayers. In addition,
the downturn in the economy has brought lower interest rates, which means
that if approved, the project’s annual cost to the property taxpayer
will be less than was calculated last year.
Please note that the Department of Education recently proposed lowering
the state’s minimum reimbursement rates for upcoming projects. The
DOE has suggested reducing capital project reimbursement rates by ten
percent for projects approved beginning in FY04, with a new minimum rate
of 40% and a new maximum rate of 80%. Due to the large number of communities
taking advantage of the program, the aim is to stretch limited dollars
while financing as many new projects as possible.
While the changes are subject to legislative approval, if passed, the
reimbursement rate for Easton would likely decrease for any project approved
after July 2003. If the school building project is not approved this December,
Easton taxpayers could have to pay $4.4 million more for the same-size
project later.
I believe education is the most fiscally prudent investment a community
can make. As Labor Secretary, Robert Reich used to say “The only
resource that is really rooted in a nation – and the ultimate source
of all its wealth – is its people.” Investments in education,
when made wisely, are investments in the health of our state’s future.
Children learn best in up-to-date facilities, free of overcrowding. Easton’s
school children will benefit from safe, modern classrooms.
The state has pledged to assist all approved school building projects,
and I am confident that if passed, this project will be a great accomplishment
for the town and its residents, and will be made possible by the financial
assistance of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Please feel free to call me at the office (617) 722-1643 or home (617)
696-0200 with your thoughts or suggestions, or e-mail me at [email protected].
Thank you for the opportunity to work for Easton’s schoolchildren
and taxpayers.
November 12, 2002
Dear Concerned Easton Parents and Taxpayers:
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address any concerns regarding
Easton’s proposed school building project. Given the current fiscal
climate, I understand the caution exhibited by parents and school officials
as well as property taxpayers and I hope to allay concerns with respect
to reimbursement and the state’s commitment to funding first-rate
public school facilities for the children of our Commonwealth.
Since its inception in 1948, the School Building Assistance program has
never reneged on its commitment to reimburse municipalities for approved
school building costs. Although the recent and projected state budget
shortfalls affect all aspects of state spending, my colleagues and I are
committed to minimizing the impact on education budget items, including
school building assistance. The question is not if a community will receive
reimbursement, but when.
In the Fiscal Year 2003 budget, short-term borrowing limits were extended
to allow municipalities to borrow money for up to seven years, rather
than just five, in an effort to help towns cope with the slower pace of
reimbursement without additionally burdening local property taxpayers.
To be sure, when the economy improves, the number of projects reimbursed
each year will increase.
I also want to call attention to last week’s proposal by the Department
of Education to lower the state’s minimum reimbursement rates for
new projects. The DOE recently suggested reducing capital project reimbursement
rates by ten percent for projects approved beginning in FY04, with a new
minimum rate of 40% and a new maximum rate of 80%. Due to the large number
of communities taking advantage of the program, the aim is to stretch
limited dollars while financing as many new projects as possible.
While the changes are subject to legislative approval, if passed, the
reimbursement rate for Easton would decrease for any project approved
after July 2003. If the school building project is not approved this December,
Easton taxpayers could likely pay $4.4 million more for the same-size
project later.
Investments in education, when made wisely, are investments in the health
of our state’s future. Children learn best in up-to-date facilities,
free of overcrowding. Easton’s school children will benefit from
safe, modern classrooms. From a financial perspective, it appears to make
the most sense to pass the project in December. The state has pledged
to assist all approved school building projects, and I am confident that
if passed, this project will be a great accomplishment for the town and
its residents, and will be made possible by the financial assistance of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Thank you for the opportunity to work on behalf of Easton’s schoolchildren
and taxpayers.
Sincerely yours, BRIAN A. JOYCE
State Senator
BAJ/mmb
