Section 3 Local Aid Distribution
Additional local aid information based on the Governor's FY 2020 Budget for individual cities and towns is available at https://www.mass.gov/lists/cherry-sheet-estimates
SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 the distribution of Unrestricted General Government Aid to cities and towns of the balance of the State Lottery and Gaming Fund, as paid from the General Fund in accordance with clause (c) of the second paragraph of section 35 of chapter 10 of the General Laws, and additional funds from the General Fund and the Gaming Local Aid Fund, shall be $1,160,218,724 and shall be apportioned to cities and towns in accordance with this section.
For fiscal year 2021 the total amounts to be distributed to each city, town, and regional school district, as calculated pursuant to chapter 70 of the General Laws and paid from item 7061-0008 of section 2, shall be as set forth in the following lists; provided that for purposes of calculating preliminary local contributions, municipal revenue growth factors shall be calculated in a manner consistent with calculations made in FY20; provided that the effort reduction percentage shall be 100 per cent; provided further that the minimum aid per pupil dollar amount shall be $30; provided further that the total statewide target local contribution shall be 59 per cent. If there is a conflict between the language of said chapter 70 and the distribution listed below, the distribution below shall control. The specified amounts listed below shall be deemed in full satisfaction of the amounts due under said chapter 70.
The department of elementary and secondary education shall not consider health care costs for retired teachers to be part of net school spending for any district in which such costs were not considered part of net school spending in fiscal year 1994 and for any district that has not accepted the provisions of section 260 of chapter 165 of the acts of 2014; provided, that any district for whom such costs are not so considered shall have included as part of net school spending an amount equal to the increase in the foundation budget for the district associated with health care costs of retired teachers.
No payments to cities, towns or counties maintaining an agricultural school under this section shall be made after November 30 of the fiscal year until the commissioner of revenue certifies acceptance of the prior fiscal year's annual financial reports submitted under section 43 of chapter 44 of the General Laws. Advance payments shall be made for some or all of periodic local reimbursement or assistance programs to any city, town, regional school district, or agricultural school that demonstrates an emergency cash shortfall, as certified by the commissioner of revenue and approved by the secretary of administration and finance, under guidelines established by the secretary.