Here’s What Brookline Will Get In Latest State Budget

BROOKLINE, MA — The state budget passed by the legislature Monday includes $7,354,519 in unrestricted funding for Brookline, as well as $15,620,467 in Chapter 70 funding for the Public Schools of Brookline.

The local funding is up 5.4 percent from $6,977,722 last year. School funding under the spending plan rose 2.6 percent from the $15,212,527 Brookline received in the fiscal year that ended on June 30.

Overall, local funding in the $52.7 billion package rose 5.4 percent to $2.07 billion from $1.96 billion last year. Chapter 70 school funding increased $495 million, or 9 percent, to nearly $600 million.The budget also includes $110 million to continue free, universal school meals for all school children in Massachusetts.

The budget also includes funding for several local projects:

• $250,000 for the Brookline Community Mental Health Center to expand the healthy lives program
• $150,000 for the Charles River Regional Chamber, the Brookline Chamber of Commerce, and the Wellesley Chamber of Commerce to provide grants to independent restaurants to supply prepared meals and other food products to local food banks, senior programs and other programs addressing food insecurity needs
• $50,000 for grants to independent restaurants in Brookline
• $50,000 to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety in Brookline through pedestrian crossings, bike bollards and traffic calming supplies
• $30,000 for starter kits to incentivize residential composting in Brookline
• $50,000 for the design and construction of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant outdoor seating parklets in Brookline
• $40,000 for the Brookline GreenSpace Alliance to implement the Muddy River Watershed Project
• $25,000 for Steps to Success in Brookline
• $50,000 for the Brookline Council on Aging to implement programming to reduce social isolation

The budget was hammered out in a conference committee and unanimously passed both chambers. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has 10 days to sign the budget.