Politics & Government

Governor Unveils Online Tool Detailing Budget Effects on Communities

The tool includes a maps for transportation funding and educational funding for each legislative district.

In an effort to promote his Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled an online tool with 400 maps that shows what each legislative district would receive in education funding. 

This tool will help people see exactly what to expect in their own backyard as part of the investments we’ve proposed,” Patrick said. “Meaningful investments in education and transportation today will significantly improve our economic future both in the short term and for generations to come.”

There are two maps per district – one displaying transportation investments and one displaying education investments in each community.    

Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For example, according to the maps, North Andover would see a total of $683,204 in education spending increase and $4,148,658 over 10 years for transportation.

"Governor Patrick’s budget plan includes a $1 billion annual investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system ... (and) includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years," an administration press release said. 

Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The budget proposal seeks to pay for this funding by increasing the income tax from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent and eliminating up to 44 tax deductions. To ease the burden of these increases, especially on lower-income families, it proposes reducing the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent and doubling personal exemptions. 


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