Submitted by State Senator Michael Barrett and State Representative Ken Gordon
Bedford is on track to receive $517,000 for the education of the children of military families living on Hanscom Air Force Base for the upcoming fiscal year, as State Senator Mike Barrett (D-Lexington) and Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) are well on their way to ensuring the line item is included in the state budget when it is sent by the Legislature to the Governor next month. Both the House budget and Senate budget include the funding for fiscal year 2016, which starts July 1.
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 reimburses only a small portion of the educational costs involved. Currently, the town educates more than 100 students living on Hanscom.
“Protecting the school aid appropriation was a top priority for this year’s budget,” said Gordon. “The reimbursement is vital to Bedford’s school system and I am thrilled it will continue to be funded. The legislature has demonstrated a commitment to military personnel and their families.”
“Since I took office, the Selectmen and School Committee have stressed the importance of this funding,” Barrett said. “I agree. Rep. Gordon and I are now well on our way to securing the funds for the upcoming fiscal year.”
The job was not easy for Sen. Barrett or Rep. Gordon. The line item was left off the Governor’s proposed budget and the initial House budget. But Rep. Gordon’s amendment was accepted; at least to the extent that it protected most of Bedford’s request. Thanks to Barrett’s work, the Senate budget, released earlier in May, included the funding so that Bedford will be full funded for the upcoming year.
The budget will move on to conference committee, where the delegation is hopeful the Legislature will accept the full package, as it has in past years, and send it to the Governor, who has indicated his support.
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