Uncertainty Looms for Sharon Officials as Sequester Deadline Approaches

With uncertainty as to whether $85 billion in federal sequestration spending cuts will be stopped by Congress before Friday, local officials in Sharon are keeping a close eye on the issue.

Without action from Congress, the sequester would go into effect automatically on March 1, reducing spending by the state in a number of areas, including education, the environment, health, military and law enforcement, the White House said.

The White House recently released a statement outlining the impacts the sequester would have state-by-state, including Massachusetts.

According to reports, one area that could be impacted the most on a local level are the schools.

Massachusetts would lose $13.9 million in education funding and another $13.9 million in cuts to education for students with disabilities.

"It's too early to tell, but it seems that the biggest impact to Sharon would be a reduction of federal grant money," said Sharon Public Schools Superintendent Timothy Farmer. "If federal grants to schools are part of the cuts, and it is my understanding that they are, then our school system will be impacted just like every other school system that accepts Federal grant money. The amount of reduction(s) will determine the severity of the impact."

Farmer said he will be waiting to see how it unfolds in the coming days, as did Sharon Town Administrator Ben Puritz.

Puritz said he is closely monitoring the deadline but said it was "too early to relate impact regarding Sharon."