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Resident urges town resolution demanding state fund special‑education costs
Summary
Resident Toby Arsenian urged the committee to sponsor a town meeting resolution demanding state action on special‑education funding, calling current state reimbursement "an unfunded mandate," while committee and staff explained circuit‑breaker rules and potential regional collaboration on transportation.
During public comment, resident Toby Arsenian thanked the committee for transparency and pressed the town to take a political step: he urged a resolution at town meeting calling on the state to pay special‑education costs rather than leave them to cities and towns. "The expenses are entirely the fault of the state... It is an unfunded mandate," Arsenian said.
Committee members and staff responded with technical context: business manager June Sanfilippo and the superintendent explained circuit‑breaker reimbursement is a complex, arrears‑paid calculation that can vary year to year and may include transportation in some cases. Ranco also described plans for a North Shore consortium to centralize special‑education transportation as a cost‑saving measure, aiming for a September start.
