Hopkinton
Chariho plan bills are passed in House
01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, June 5, 2008
Three bills that would authorize the Chariho Regional School District to present to voters a $25-million amended building plan for its main campus sailed smoothly through the House yesterday.
Without discussion, legislators in 56-0 votes approved two bills that would enable the district to hold a referendum on a proposed $17.8-million construction plan for the high school and other improvements to the Switch Road campus and $2.7 million for the middle school.
Legislators also authorized, on a 49-0 vote, a referendum on spending up to $4.4 million to build a permanent structure for the RYSE School, Reaching Youths through Support and Education, an alternative learning program.
The RYSE School is quartered in trailers that cost the district nearly $300,000 a year. The bills now head to the Senate.
The three member towns — Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton — would split the costs equally, which requires an amendment to the Chariho Act.
Under the Chariho Act, building costs are apportioned based on enrollment.
The bills –– sponsored by Representatives Joseph H. Scott, D-Exeter, and Donna M. Walsh, D-Charlestown –– are viewed by many as the district’s last chance to secure state construction reimbursement at the 56 percent level.
Governor Carcieri has proposed eliminating the regional bonus, which adds 2 percent in state housing aid for each regionalized grade.
Under the governor’s proposal, established regional school districts could continue to qualify for the bonus reimbursement figure only if the General Assembly authorizes their bond referendums by June 30.
(The referendums could be held after that date.)
The bonus would still be available for new regional districts during their first five years.
Charlestown, Richmond and the Chariho School Committee have endorsed the building plan over Hopkinton’s objections.
Hopkinton council members say they will not consider any “districtwide bonds until progress is made toward establishing a uniform school tax rate.”
(Currently, towns’ share of the district’s budget is calculated based on enrollment, with Hopkinton paying the second-highest amount.)
Chariho voters last approved a construction plan in 1986, when Chariho became a K-12 district.
–– With reports from Maria Armental and Cynthia Needham
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