Cities, towns go all out for road, education aid

                         By ANDREW WINSTANLEY

                         BOSTON -- Local officials have launched a full-court press on the
                         Cellucci administration and state legislators in past weeks in an effort to
                         keep $150 million for local road and bridge projects and $90 million in
                         education aid.

                         Highway and education funding were a primary topic at yesterday's
                         meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Association attended by Lt.
                         Governor Jane Swift and other members of the Cellucci administration, as
                         well as Taunton Mayor Robert G. Nunes, president of the Massachusetts
                         Mayors Association.

                         William Hardin, an Easton selectman and president of the Massachusetts
                         Municipal Association, said the administration expressed a willingness to sit
                         down and work the issues out.

                         "It's always good when you can sit down face-to-face and work these
                         things out," Hardin said. "I'm encouraged."

                         Hardin said that no specifics were explored yesterday, but added that a
                         meeting between the two groups may be scheduled as soon as next week.

                         Area towns and cities have been somewhat less than encouraged by the
                         diversion of $90 million in education funding in Gov. Paul Cellucci's budget
                         proposal.

                         The Senate Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to complete its
                         hearing on Cellucci's $20 billion budget today.

                         Taunton and surrounding towns would stand to lose millions of dollars in
                         education aid scheduled for them by the education reform act.

                         Senate President Thomas Birmingham, who authored much of the
                         education reform legislation, has said he will fight for full funding of the
                         education reform act in the Senate.

                         "You have to stay in there and keep fighting," Hardin said.

                         Several towns have expressed extreme disappointment with the funding
                         environment for Chapter 90 highway money.

                         "There is a desperate, desperate need for those funds," Norton Selectmen
                         Chairman Ronald Almeida said recently. Norton selectmen have voted to
                         send a letter to legislators urging them to ensure that cities and towns
                         receive adequate highway and bridge money.

                         Rehoboth selectmen sent a similar letter last week.

                         Recent reports on the effect that the costly Central Artery project has had
                         on local projects have stoked outrage from some officials.

                         The Massachusetts Municipal Association and local officials, many of
                         whom have pointed to highly publicized bridge problems in Fall River and
                         Attleboro, are pressing the legislature to retain the $150 million annual aid
                         package for local highway and bridge projects.

                         "We're neglecting some serious safety concerns across the state," Almeida
                         said. "When you put these repairs off, it may cost us 10 times as much in
                         the long run because you've let the situation deteriorate. We're all going to
                         pay a heavy price."

                         Hardin said Chapter 90 funding may be a more difficult issue