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Puppolo, Ashe and Candaras and 61 other legislators send letter to Patrick

Date: 11/9/2009

BOSTON State Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr. has announced that he and State Rep. Brian Ashe and State Sen. Gale Candaras have co-signed a letter to Gov. Deval Patrick along with 61 other members of the General Court asking him to reconsider his 9C cut to Regional School Transportation Reimbursement. The account was cut nearly 50 percent by the governor and represents a 63 percent reduction in regional school district aid since fiscal year 2009.

In the letter, the members ask the governor to reconsider his cut or explore the use of Federal Stimulus funds to offset the account. Other accounts cut by similar amounts were offset by ARRA money.

The bi-partisan group of legislators said that since regional schools are required by law to provide transportation, must travel greater distances than municipal school districts, and cannot go back to member towns for additional funds after the cut (the way municipal districts can), this cut represents a significant cut in local aid to regional school districts.

"If this cut stands, regional schools like the Wilbraham-Hampden school system will be forced to cut their budgets and this could be detrimental to our system," Puppolo stated.

"It appears that the governor is cutting budgets for regional school districts disproportionally and we want to make him aware of this and urge reconsideration," he added.