(Daily Hampshire Gazette)— Sen. John Velis has secured $200,000 in earmarked funds to be put toward Southampton’s Norris Elementary School, which saw significant cuts made after a failed override last year.
The funding comes as Southampton plans to propose an override to cover a $2.6 million budget deficit. At the same time, Velis remains on deployment with the Massachusetts National Guard.
The funding is part of the state Senate’s recently passed Fair Share Supplemental budget that “recognizes the serious fiscal challenges that Southampton, as well as other communities, are facing and aims to ease school budget concerns while enhancing educational opportunities for local students,” reads a statement from Velis’ office.
The package also contributes $100,000 to special education classrooms in
Easthampton schools, $100,000 to improve American Disability Act (ADA) accessibility at Holyoke’s Kelly Elementary School and an additional $350,000 to support local school budgets in the other five communities across the Hampden and Hampshire District as well.
“Throughout Senator Velis’s deployment with the Massachusetts National Guard, he has
continued to remain vigilant on all matters affecting the Hampden and Hampshire Senate district, including the notable budget concerns facing Southampton and other communities’ taxpayers in the upcoming year,” Velis’ office said in a statement.
The statement says that Velis’ and his office remain to being a “fierce
advocate” for Chapter 70 funding, rural school aid and other statewide educational funding “that most directly impacts local school budgets.
The funding comes as the senate begins to consider the the states budget for next fiscal year budget.