Melrose Gets $336K Net Local Aid Bump In Governor's Fiscal 2013 Budget

Melrose would receive a net increase of $336,633 in local aid from the state under the fiscal 2013 budget proposal filed by Gov. Deval Patrick on Wednesday.

The local aid bump would be the first since fiscal 2009 and would be welcomed by City Hall officials, who've seen Melrose's local aid cut by almost $3 million over the past three years.

This current fiscal year has the city's lowest local aid level in a decade. Melrose's net local aid—receipts minus state assessments by fiscal year:

• Fiscal 2013 = $9,248,811
• Fiscal 2012 = $8,912,178
• Fiscal 2011 = $9,323,975
• Fiscal 2010 = $9,664,554
• Fiscal 2009 = $11,912,052
• Fiscal 2008 = $10,303,700
• Fiscal 2007 = $10,246,152
• Fiscal 2006 = $10,206,473
• Fiscal 2005 = $10,351,959
• Fiscal 2004 = $10,225,986
• Fiscal 2003 = $13,520,108
• Fiscal 2002 = $13,625,317

Most of the local aid boost in Patrick's proposal comes in the form of Chapter 70 education funding, with Melrose slated to receiving $349,359 more in Chapter 70 money than last year, for a total of $7.67 million.

According to the Boston Globe, Patrick's budget proposes $4.136 billion in state aid to local schools, a record-high amount.

The city would receive an additional $109,670 in Veterans' Benefits. The state reimburses 75 percent of each city and town's costs for veterans' and their dependents' benefits, paid out through the .

Melrose would also see a $49,707 bump in charter school tuition reimbursement. The state reimburses communities 100 percent of the increase in charter school tuition costs the first year of the increase, then 25 percent of that increase each of the next five years.

Unrestricted General Government Aid, the second largest local aid line item after Chapter 70, would remain level-funded next year, with Melrose receiving $4.024 million.

On the assessment side, Melrose would pay $153,192 more in charter school tuition and $24,341 less in Essex County Tech tuition.

Also, the city would pay an additional $25,963 in MBTA administrative costs next year.

Both the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee will file their fiscal 2013 budget proposals in the coming months, before hashing out final versions to send to a conference committee and, eventually, Patrick's desk.

Below are the cherry sheet figures released by the state Department of Revenue's Division of Local Services:

Fiscal 2013 Local Aid Estimates

FY2012 Cherry Sheet Estimate

FY2013 Governor’s Budget (H2)

Difference

Education:

  Chapter 70

7,323,565

7,672,924

349,359

  School Transportation

0

0

   0

  Charter Tuition Reimbursement

409,402

459,109

49,707

  Smart Growth School Reimbursement

0

0

   0

Offset Receipts:

  School Lunch

12,885

12,530

- 355

  School Choice Receiving Tuition

0

0

   0

Sub-Total, All Education Items

7,745,852

8,144,563

398,711

General Government:

  Unrestricted General Government Aid

4,024,121

4,024,121

   0

  Local Share of Racing Taxes

0

0

   0

  Regional Public Libraries

0

0

   0

  Urban Renewal Projects

0

0

   0

  Veterans’ Benefits

154,478

264,148

109,670

  State Owned Land

824

824

   0

  Exemptions: Vets, Blind, Surviving Spouses 

  & Elderly

107,961

104,359

-3,602

Offset Receipts:

  Public Libraries

25,864

26,063

 199

Sub-Total, All General Government

4,313,248

4,419,515

                 106,267

Total Estimated Receipts

12,059,100

12,564,078

504,978

Fiscal 2013 Local Aid Assessments

FY2012 Cherry Sheet Estimate

FY2013 Governor’s Budget (H2)

Difference

County Assessments:

County Tax

0

0

   0

Suffolk County Retirement

0

0

   0

Sub-Total, County Assessments

   0

   0

   0

State Assessments and Charges:

  Retired Employees Health Insurance

0

0

   0

  Retired Teachers Health Insurance

0

0

   0

  Mosquito Control Projects

0

0

   0

  Air Pollution Districts

7,729

7,935

 206

  Metropolitan Area Planning Council

8,243

8,501

 258

  Old Colony Planning Council

0

0

   0

  RMV Non-Renewal Surcharge

45,560

44,260

-1,300

Sub-Total, State Assessments

61,532

60,696

- 836

Transportation Authorities:

  MBTA

544,237

570,200

25,963

  Boston Metro. Transit District

0

0

   0

  Regional Transit

0

0

   0

Sub-Total, Transportation Authorities

544,237

570,200

25,963

Annual Charges Against Receipts:

  Special Education

182

9,549

9,367

  STRAP Repayments

0

0

   0

Sub-Total, Annual Charges

 182

9,549

9,367

Tuition Assessments

  School Choice Sending Tuition

0

5,000

5,000

  Charter School Sending Tuition

2,504,155

2,657,347

153,192

  Essex County Tech Sending Tuition

36,816

12,475

-24,341

Sub-Total, Tuition Assessments

2,540,971

2,674,822

133,851

Total Estimated Charges

3,146,922

3,315,267

168,345