Page 8 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, July 17, 2026 Everett Chamber of Commerce announces spring and fall Banner Program T he Everett Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the 2026 Banner Program. This program has enabled businesses, nonprofit organizations and elected officials to display their names on banners located along the streets of Everett. The program will allow organizations to purchase two personalized banners, one for spring (April through July) and one for fall (August through November). The deadline to order is August 10, 2026. The cost to purchase two personalized banners will be $466.00 to be displayed for five years. To place your order, call 617387-9100. DIDOMENICO | FROM PAGE 7 the Legislature’s commitment to fully fund and implement the Student Opportunity Act with $7.66 billion in Chapter 70 aid to public school districts, an increase of $297 million over Fiscal Year 2026 and the highest level ever, along with a record $160-per-pupil minimum in local school aid. The budget also revives the Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC) to examine the K-12 funding formula and assess how the state can address rising costs in special education, student transportation, personnel and educator health care statewide. The budget funds the Special Education Circuit Breaker at $654.6 million to help students who need support, which, combined with $152 million from the recent Fair Share supplemental budget, brings the total investment to $806.6 million, reimbursing school districts for 75 percent of the costs of educating students with disabilities and complex needs. Other education investments include $475 million for the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant program to support early education and care providers’ day-to-day operational and workforce costs, $137 million for the MassEducate and MassReconnect free community college programs, $20 million for rural school districts and $180 million for uniMERCURY RECOVERY PROGRAM Mercury is an element that can be harmful to human health and the environment if not disposed of properly. Mercury is found in products such as: versal free school meals, which serve nearly 150 million free meals to Massachusetts kids every year. The budget also includes $11.7 million to support students receiving special education services through the DESE/DDS Residential Prevention Program and $2 million for a new grant program helping schools address young people’s social media use. • Transportation: DiDomeniThermostats Thermometers Mercury Switches Fluorescent Lamps Please contact your local Board of Health or Department of Public Works for information on where to safely dispose of these items. co has always been a staunch advocate for investing in public transportation systems, and this budget provides $465 million in direct investment for the MBTA, which, combined with $595 million from the recent Fair Share supplemental budget, brings the total new investment in the system to over $1 billion for Fiscal Year 2027. It also includes $217 million for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), including $40 million to sustain fare-free transit service statewide. The state’s fare-free Regional Transit program has resulted in ridership exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The budget also responds to a string of fatal wrong-way driving incidents on Massachusetts highways by directing MassDOT to implement new infrastructure and officer training, including directional striping, signage, lane delineators and motorist alert systems. • Municipalities and Housing: SPONSORED BY provides record support to cities and towns across the state, including $1.363 billion for Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), a $40 million increase over Fiscal Year 2026 and the highest level ever. For new dollars, the legislation impleDIDOMENICO | SEE PAGE 12
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