MASC 1

Every tax is a pay cut. Every tax cut is a pay raise.
Citizens for Limited Taxation

Massachusetts Association of School Committees Monday, November 10, 2003

The resolution will be voted on at the upcoming Mass Assoc of School Committee Conference this week. To my knowledge, the Framignham SC supports all the resolutions, including this one. RESOLUTION 1 School and Municipal Finance Sponsored by the Arlington School Committee WHEREAS the state has cut Chapter 70 aid for most MA municipalities for FY04, and WHEREAS the state has reduced other grants and funding for MA public schools, and WHEREAS municipalities are constrained on methods to raise revenues, and WHEREAS the property tax levy is constrained under Proposition 21/2, and WHEREAS the costs of maintaining level services often exceeds the funds available under the constraints of the Proposition 21/2 levy limit, and WHEREAS the decline in state revenues, increased federal and state mandates, and constrained local funding make it difficult to adequately fund a public school system, and WHEREAS the funding of schools is at the discretion of a local appropriating authority, and WHEREAS the state has established an implicit tax rate as a minimum that a municipality can afford to contribute as a basis for minimum local contributions and state aid allocations, and WHEREAS 27 school districts received appropriations in Fiscal Year 2002 that were below the minimum local contribution established by the Education Reform Act, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Massachusetts Association of School Committees advocates for substantive reforms in the structure of school and municipal finance, and urges the enactment of appropriate laws and regulations that may include, but are not necessarily limited to: - Legislation that would automatically increase the municipal levy limit in the amount of any decreases in local aid accounts or increases in minimum local aid contribution, provided that amount was appropriated for use in the public schools. - Legislation that would permit the school committee to place a Proposition 2 1/2 override on the municipal ballot. - Legislation that would expand the authority of municipalities to raise revenues through means other than the property tax and the vehicle excise tax. - Legislation that would divert funds from other local aid accounts to the Chapter 70 account for municipalities that fail to meet state mandated minimum local contributions.

Massachusetts Association of School Committees	Monday, November 10, 2003

The resolution will be voted on at the upcoming Mass Assoc of School Committee Conference this week. To my knowledge, the Framignham SC supports all the resolutions, including this one. RESOLUTION 1 School and Municipal Finance Sponsored by the Arlington School Committee WHEREAS the state has cut Chapter 70 aid for most MA municipalities for FY04, and WHEREAS the state has reduced other grants and funding for MA public schools, and WHEREAS municipalities are constrained on methods to raise revenues, and WHEREAS the property tax levy is constrained under Proposition 21/2, and WHEREAS the costs of maintaining level services often exceeds the funds available under the constraints of the Proposition 21/2 levy limit, and WHEREAS the decline in state revenues, increased federal and state mandates, and constrained local funding make it difficult to adequately fund a public school system, and WHEREAS the funding of schools is at the discretion of a local appropriating authority, and WHEREAS the state has established an implicit tax rate as a minimum that a municipality can afford to contribute as a basis for minimum local contributions and state aid allocations, and WHEREAS 27 school districts received appropriations in Fiscal Year 2002 that were below the minimum local contribution established by the Education Reform Act, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Massachusetts Association of School Committees advocates for substantive reforms in the structure of school and municipal finance, and urges the enactment of appropriate laws and regulations that may include, but are not necessarily limited to: - Legislation that would automatically increase the municipal levy limit in the amount of any decreases in local aid accounts or increases in minimum local aid contribution, provided that amount was appropriated for use in the public schools. - Legislation that would permit the school committee to place a Proposition 2 1/2 override on the municipal ballot. - Legislation that would expand the authority of municipalities to raise revenues through means other than the property tax and the vehicle excise tax. - Legislation that would divert funds from other local aid accounts to the Chapter 70 account for municipalities that fail to meet state mandated minimum local contributions.

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