Here's What Tewksbury Will Get In The Latest State Budget

Tewksbury, MA — The state budget passed by the legislature Monday includes $3.22 million in unrestricted funding for Tewksbury as well as $13.61 million in Chapter 70 funding for Tewksbury Public Schools.

The local funding is up 5.4 percent from $3.06 million last year. School funding under the spending plan rose 1.4 percent from $13.42 million Tewksbury received in the fiscal year ended 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:

• $190,544,959 for the maintenance and operation of Tewksbury Hospital, Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital and the Hospital Bureau, including the State Office of Pharmacy Services. The budget states that Tewksbury hospital shall maintain the same number of beds in fiscal year 2023 as was maintained in fiscal year 2022.
• $2,017,864 for the Department of Public Health, which may expend not more than
  $2,017,864 from reimbursements collected by Tewksbury Hospital based on a revenue enhancement project to obtain Medicaid coverage for patients whose services are not currently being reimbursed.
• $3,985,861 for the Department of Public Health, which may expend not more than
  $3,985,861 of payments received for services provided by Tewksbury Hospital to clients of the Department of Developmental Services, including for the provision of behavioral health services and the continuation of short-term medical rehabilitation for clients of the Department of Developmental Services.
• $50,000 for sidewalk installation and repairs in the town of Tewksbury.
• $100,000 for the town of Tewksbury for a police radio system to replace old equipment that cannot be fixed and requires a full replacement.
• $90,000 for the town of Tewksbury for services provided by the police department to the Tewksbury State Hospital.

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.