SANNICANDRO TO LIVE-TWEET HOUSE BUDGET DEBATE

(APRIL 25 — STATEHOUSE) Representative Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) will be live-tweeting the budget debate for the fifth consecutive year during the week of April 28 through his Twitter handle @tsannicandro and with #mabudget.

“Live-tweeting allows people to get real time information on what is happening during the budget debate in the House,” Representative Sannicandro said. “I have received an overwhelmingly positive response from constituents and residents across the state over the past five years, and I look forward to engaging directly with members of public again this year.”

Sannicandro has live-tweeted several legislative debates in recent years including live-tweeting the casino gaming debate during the previous legislative session.

The House Ways & Means Committee released its budget earlier this month for the fiscal year 2015. The budget included many items Sannicandro has prioritized, including raising K-12 education funding to the largest amount in state history to $4.4 billion, which represents an increase for each district of at least a $25 per pupil. Unrestricted local aid, used to fund police, fire, and other local priorities, comes to $946 million, a $125 million increase over the previous year.

Sannicandro filed amendments to the budget ahead of next week’s debate to establish the MetroWest as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) district to support victims of sexual assault, to increasing funding for the higher education scholarship line item to allow more students to attend college in the state, as well as an amendment to allow students with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in higher education. He also co-sponsored several amendments, including additional funding for the 495/MetroWest Partnership, which focuses on the infrastructure needs for economic success of the MetroWest region.

The budget includes no new taxes.

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