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May 5, 2008 Linda Campbell
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Campbell Achieves Success for Methuen in House Budget

The House of Representatives completed their work on the Fiscal Year 2009 budget, with Representative Linda Dean Campbell of Methuen achieving some notable success for her community during that process.

Campbell had laid out her budget priorities early, and worked diligently through the process to secure some vital funding for Methuen. Campbell budget amendments that were adopted included $200,000 (two hundred thousand) for environmental cleanup of Methuen’s Appleyard site, a critical piece for Methuen’s downtown area, as well as $150,000 (one hundred fifty thousand) for Methuen parks and recreation. Campbell successfully included budget amendments that funded the Adult Learning Center in Methuen, the Methuen Y.M.C.A, and the Methuen Senior Center. Campbell, who helped to bring funding for the new community center in Methuen’s Arlington Neighborhood, secured additional funding for ongoing operations there for neighborhood after school programs. Campbell noted that “despite budget difficulties we have produced a balanced budget that meets some critical local needs, including an increase in Chapter 70 education aid monies for Methuen that total over one million dollars. I remain committed to doing our best to meet local needs while maintaining the fiscal stability that is vital for our Commonwealth.” Campbell also secured fifteen thousand dollars for the Merrimack River Watershed Council for water testing along the Merrimack.

Campbell pointed to some important features in the budget for cities and towns. The House budget made up the shortfall in the lottery account, adding $124 million dollars to ensure that this local account remained level funded and not cut. Additionally Campbell cited a two million dollar increase in the circuit breaker account that will help some districts with the cost of transportation in the special needs area, as well as two million dollars in increased Shannon Grant monies. Methuen was a recipient of such money in the last fiscal cycle. Campbell was also successful in securing police grant money that currently funds four full time police officers in Methuen. Campbell said “public safety for Methuen continues to be a top priority for me, and the successful inclusion of monies to directly put more police officers on our streets will promote that value.” Campbell indicated that one of the pleasant surprises in the overall house budget which she strongly advocated through co-sponsorship of amendments both in last year’s budget and in this budget was the additional spending for Massachusetts Firefighters. Campbell noted that for several budget cycles MA firefighters have received the short end of the stick. In this year’s budget they received much need increases for equipment upgrades and training. Campbell said, “This increase was absolutely essential for residents and for basic protection for our firefighters who put their lives on line each and every day.”