DiZoglio Petitioning for Increased Special Education, Veteran Funding for Haverhill

(Courtesy photograph)

Haverhill veterans and those in need of special education benefits are among the groups Rep. Diana DiZoglio is fighting for when local lawmakers debate the state budget this week. (Courtesy photo)

When Rep. Diana DiZoglio heads into budget debate sessions this week at the Statehouse, two Haverhill interest groups will be top of mind: Veterans and those in need of special education benefits.

Securing $300,000 for the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center and Career Resources Corporation to provide veteran housing and job training during the last budget cycle, DiZoglio hopes for a repeat in the next fiscal year.

In amendments to the proposed House budget, DiZoglio asks for $200,000 to be earmarked for Career Resources. She also requests for $100,000 for the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center, the group that intends to revamp the former Gerson Furniture building into veterans’ housing.

While DiZoglio has yet to meet Haverhill’s new superintendent Margaret Marotta, the lawmaker tells WHAV she looks forward to fighting for the city’s special education students and working with Marotta to effectively target funding.

“A lot of times, we don’t fund special education services at the state level (like) we committed to fund, so that puts a strain on the local school budgets and municipal budgets,” DiZoglio said. “We want to make sure we’re not passing down unfunded mandates from the state level.”

In conversations with local educators, regional transportation has been a frequent cause for concern, DiZoglio told WHAV.

“The state needs to hold up their end of the bargain is what they say, and I wholeheartedly agree with them,” she said.

The new budget goes into effect on July 1.