Submitted by Bedford’s State Senator Michael Barrett and State Representative Ken Gordon
State Senator Mike Barrett and State Representative Ken Gordon pulled off Bedford’s top state budget priority this week, passing on for the Governor’s approval an amendment to state law that permanently funds the state’s share of local costs to educate children of military families living at Hanscom Air Force Base.
Bedford has accepted Hanscom students at its high school for more than 50 years through an agreement with the Department of Defense, but the federal government funds only a small portion of the costs to educate them. The state has supplemented those costs for the past five years, with no obligation to continue the funding. The measure that will be sent by the Legislature to the Governor will make the funding permanent.
“When Sen. Barrett and I first took office, we appeared before the Bedford Selectmen,” said Gordon. “They presented us with a list of priorities. Number one on that list was funding for the education of children living at Hanscom. I am proud that we have accomplished this top priority.”
“We’ve made annual reimbursement a priority both years we’ve been in office,” Barrett said. “Making the funds a lasting fixture of local education aid, though, gives Bedford certainty moving forward.”
The new budget language sets aside $1.3 million in each fiscal year going forward for the education of students who live at Hanscom Air Force Base and Joint Base Cape Cod. Bedford educates just over 100 students living at Hanscom.
The budget also includes $1.3 million for this fiscal year thanks to the efforts of Barrett and Gordon. This is the second consecutive year the duo has succeeded in securing the reimbursement aid.
Barrett directed praise at Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) and Senate Ways and Means Chair Stephen Brewer (D-Barre) for including the measure in the Senate version of the budget, while Gordon lauded House conferees Brian Dempsey (D-Haverhill) and Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington), the Chair and vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, as well as Speaker Robert DeLeo, for including the measure in the conference committee report.
The final budget released by the Conference Committee will now go to the Governor.
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