Business leaders are pushing a bill that would eliminate the state’s existing cap on charter schools in the lowest performing school districts, including in Boston where charter school supporters say the need is the greatest.
Their support for the bill puts the business community in opposition to unions representing teachers and school superintendents, which oppose charter schools.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Barry Finegold and Rep. Russell Holmes, proposes a broad series of school reforms. But a central piece is the removal of a cap that restricts the amount of school district funds that can be diverted to charter schools.
Barry Finegold for Senate
Barry R. Finegold is a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate representing the Second Essex and Middlesex district. He has served since January 2011. He is a former state representative of the 17th Essex district in Massachusetts; he is also a small business owner.
Latest Updates
State program could save money on property taxes
With tax season upon us, Senator Barry Finegold is spreading the news on the Senior Circuit Breaker tax credit—a state program that can save seniors money on their property taxes.
Finegold is making an informational pamphlet available to help seniors find out if they qualify for this break on their property taxes.
“This income tax credit was designed to alleviate a portion of qualifying seniors’ property taxes. While living on a fixed income, seniors should be made aware of every possible program that can save them money,” Finegold said. “I am happy to provide this information and I ask any seniors who have further questions to contact my office.”
Sheriff, senator seek forfeiture in child cases to fund staffing
LOWELL -- More than 300 forensic examinations were done on Internet crimes against children in Middlesex County last year, along with 44 investigations, 134 cyber-tips and 16 arrests.
A staff of two full-time and two-part time workers was deployed to handle the ever-increasing work load. Two state officials say more resources are needed, and believe they've found a way to bring in more revenue to pay for them without charging taxpayers.
State Sen. Barry Finegold and Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, friends going back to their law-school days, want to go after the "bad" guys.
Burbine charged with 100 counts of child sex abuse
WAKEFIELD, Mass. - Two opportunities to jail an accused pedophile now indicted on more than 100 counts related to child sexual abuse failed to move forward because the families of the alleged victims of John Burbine declined to provide the cooperation needed to secure convictions, the Boston Globe reported Saturday.
“We did not have the evidence we needed to sustain criminal convictions due to a variety of factors, including the fact that the victims and their families were unable or unwilling to go forward,” said Stephanie Chelf Guyotte, a spokeswoman for Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr.
John Burbine, the Wakefield man accused of raping and sexually abusing 13 young children at his wife’s unlicensed day care center, has been moved to a jail in Billerica and is “distraught” and often in tears, his lawyer said in an interview Saturday.
William Barabino said his client is being kept apart from other prisoners and is under close observation at Middlesex House of Correction in Billerica, where he was moved after an initial detention in Cambridge. He declined to say why Burbine was under observation.
