Jones, Tarr Secure Funding For North Reading Projects

A release from the office of House Minority Leader Brad Jones:

BOSTON, Ma. – North Reading will receive $160,000 in state funding as part of the Fiscal Year 2020 state budget to support initiatives for the town’s public schools and police department, as well as a planned tribute to the nation’s Vietnam veterans taking place at Ipswich River Park in August.

A six-member conference committee working to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget reached consensus this week on a compromise spending plan for the new fiscal year that began on July 1. The budget was approved by both legislative branches and sent to Governor Charlie Baker on July 22.

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) noted that the budget includes a $75,000 school technology grant to support the North Reading Public Schools’ 1:1 initiative, which provides computers to middle and high school students to enhance their learning experience. The budget also contains a $75,000 public safety grant for the purchase of a firearms simulator, which will allow North Reading police officers to receive immersive training.

In addition, the budget includes a $10,000 earmark for the Wall that Heals, a traveling half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. that will be on display at Ipswich River Park from August 15-18. North Reading officials have scheduled a series of public events to coincide with the Wall’s visit, including a POW/MIA ceremony, a Welcome Home ceremony featuring Secretary of Veterans Services Francisco Urena, and a concert by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Band.

“The new state budget will allow North Reading to continue to provide students with access to computer technology, offer critical training resources to local police officers, and deliver inclusive programming to honor our nation’s Vietnam War veterans this summer,” said Representative Jones. “I’m pleased the conference committee opted to include these important local initiatives in the final budget.”

“From honoring our veterans to supporting our schools and police officers, North Reading gave its legislative delegation some clear and important priorities during this year’s budget deliberations,” said Senator Tarr. “I am pleased to have once again partnered with Representative Jones to bring funding for those priorities to fruition.”

Governor Baker has 10 days to review the budget and issue any vetoes.