Senate budget gives towns $2.4M in aid-This Day In Norwood History-June 23, 1981

State Legislative Budget Proposal Promises Over $1 Million Local Relief Allocation

Norwood and Dedham would gain over $1 million each in increased local aid and Westwood close to $400,000 under the budget proposed by the state Senate.

Rep. Gregory W. Sullivan, D-Norwood, and Rep. Deborah Cochran, R-Dedham, announced the local breakdown yesterday under the budget providing $300 million increased local aid. Both Sullivan and Cochran also represent parts of Westwood.

Under the House budget, providing about $64 million less in increased local aid, Dedham was to receive $650,000, Norwood, $800,000 and Westwood about $235,000, they said.

Increased local aid includes amounts by which the state is picking up a greater share of mandated programs, they explained.

But most of the funds go to the town treasury.

Town meetings can then apply against the tax rate or budget increases such as to save the jobs of teachers or other employees headed for layoffs under Proposition 2½ cutbacks, they said.

Both the Democrat and Republican said they would back the Senate budget when it comes to a vote in the House today or tomorrow.

Sullivan gave the $6.3 billion proposal a 50-50 chance of passage in the House.

The House budget proposal, offering $236 million in increased local aid, was rejected by the Senate, Sullivan noted.

Even if not passed by the House, a reasonably close vote would send the budget with a strong message to a House–Senate conference committee for budget compromise work, Sullivan said.

Both legislators praised the Senate budget for making cutbacks in the cost of running state government.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger