Full and original article posted on Telegram & Gazette
Each year, the city of Worcester and the Worcester Public Schools come together to balance educational and other municipal needs with available funding. While minimum education spending is established by state law, the local debate focuses on the full cost of a large urban school system and the amount by which the city supplements required public school funding.
Education is the largest component of the municipal budget. In the current fiscal year 2015, education represents 58 percent of the local budget, including funding for the Worcester Public Schools, charter schools, and other education-related costs.
In contrast, the next three largest expenditures combined — police, fire, and public works — total just over 16 percent of the city budget.
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