Senator Jehlen Appointed to Foundation Budget Review Commission

Senate President Therese Murray has appointed Senator Patricia Jehlen to the Foundation Budget Review Commission. The Commission will consider what our schools need in order to help all children get a quality education, and how the state can meet those needs.

“As a member of the Foundation Budget Review Commission, I plan to continue my efforts to make sure that the state provides high quality public education for all children,” said Senator Jehlen.

Senator Jehlen began her career as a teacher and served as a school committee member prior to joining the legislature, where public education is one of her top priorities. While on the Somerville School Committee, she learned that Somerville property taxes were double those of some nearby communities, while per pupil spending was half. This inequity drove her to help form the Council for Fair School Finance, which brought the successful lawsuit leading to the 1993 education reforms. Although the reforms of 1993 did bring millions of additional state aid to communities, they did not adequately reflect such costs as health insurance and special education. Recent studies suggest that we are far from reaching the goal of equal opportunity and adequate education for all students.

– Submitted by State Senator Pat Jehlen’s office