Rep. Jones Secures North Reading Schools, Road Safety Funding

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) has secured a pair of earmarks in the Fiscal Year 2022 House budget to fund two North Reading initiatives.

Jones successfully advocated for $40,000 in funding to assist the town with computer upgrades in its public schools. He also secured another $40,000 to help pay for an intersection study and analysis focused on improving public safety on the town’s roadways.

Both funding requests were adopted as amendments to the House budget, which was engrossed in the early morning hours of April 29. Final approval of the funding is still pending, as both the Senate and Governor Charlie Baker must agree to the spending earmarks before the money can be released to the town.

In previous budget cycles, Jones was able to secure a combined $150,000 in state grant funding for the North Reading Public Schools’ 1:1 initiative, which provides computers to middle and high school students to enhance their learning experience. The latest budget earmark will provide local schools with funding to replace older computers and other electronic devices.

The $40,000 public safety earmark Jones filed will assist town officials in developing public safety improvements at some of North Reading’s most dangerous intersections. North Reading Police Chief Michael Murphy, Town Administrator Michael Gilleberto and the Department of Public Works have been working together to identify local intersections that pose a high risk for motor vehicle crashes and to determine the most effective ways to minimize those risks and improve public safety at these locations. Jones previously secured a $50,000 earmark for this purpose in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget, which was signed into law on December 11, 2020.

“I’m pleased to be able to work on the town’s behalf to earmark funding in the House budget for these two important local initiatives,” said Jones. “This money will help to ensure that North Reading’s students and school staff have access to updated equipment, and will also facilitate the town’s ongoing efforts to make its roads safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.”

The FY22 budget now moves to the Senate, which is expected to debate its own spending proposal the week of May 24.