SOUTHWICK – The legislative office of Rep. Nick Boldyga announced funding accomplishments for the Fiscal Year 2019 budget on August 9.
The entire FY 19 budget between the House and the Senate totaled $41.88 billion and was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker on July 26. The budget invests $4.91 billion towards education for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Taggart (left) is seen with Boldyga (middle) and Superintendent Jen Willard (right) at a school committee meeting during the 2017-18 school year to address school safety upgrades. (WNG File Photo)
Boldyga was able to secure $50,000 in the budget for safety upgrades in all schools in the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District. According to a press release from Boldyga’s Legislative Director Mark O’Neil, the funds were requested by the district’s school resource officer Michael Taggart.
While speaking with people throughout the community Boldyga saw the funding opportunity as something to take advantage of.
“After hearing concerns from parents, I spoke with school officials and our school resource officer (Taggart) and identified opportunities for classroom safety upgrades and improvements,” said Boldyga in the press release. “Over the last several years, I’ve been able to secure funding for our schools and this additional $50,000 will assist with those safety improvements.”
For the FY18 budget, Boldyga was able to receive $50,000 for school safety upgrades, which was part of a $39.4 billion budget signed by Baker on July 24, 2017.
With three children of his own in the school district, it was important for Boldyga to secure safety upgrade funds for two years in a row.
“It’s always on everybody’s mind, there’s always more you can do,” said Boldyga. “I wanted to help in some sort of way, I was very happy I could secure those funds.”
