GREENFIELD — Following the encouragement of several community members at this week’s City Council meeting, councilors voted unanimously to back two resolutions supporting three pending state school funding bills.

“Knocking on doors in Precinct 1, [the concerns I hear are about] property taxes and its schools,” said Precinct 1 Councilor Katherine Golub, who is running for reelection. “People want our schools to thrive. The city has a role in that and we did our best to fulfill our responsibility ... in this last budget season, and the state has a very big responsibility. This would increase the foundation amount that the state pays.”

S.335 and S.337 would increase the amount of money reimbursed to Greenfield public schools by the state for special education expenses.

S.303, meanwhile, would increase the state’s share of local aid to Greenfield, which would mean an estimated additional $1.1 million dollars for Greenfield’s schools phased in over five years.

“The details behind these three school funding bills are … complex,” said resident Jesus Leyva, who is running for one of two vacancies for at-large councilor. “The reasons we’re asking you to support them are not complex.”

Other residents spoke in support of the two resolutions, including School Committee candidate Stacey Sexton.

“It doesn’t get us the money immediately, but it does send the message there are things we could have done with these funds if we’d had them all along,” Sexton said. “The money won’t be an immediate fix, but it could allow us to rebuild to where we’d like to be over the coming decades.”

Resident John Garrett, a candidate for at-large city councilor, said that in his experience with teacher contract negotiations, districts all across the state — including where he teaches in Hatfield — are dealing with the same funding challenges.

“I’m gratified to see [these resolutions] in front of the council and I’m gratified to see it’s pretty much a one-way vote,” he said.

At-Large Councilor Christine Forgey credited Leyva for his effort in shepherding the proposed resolutions through the community, and for bringing them to City Council.

“Any time we can send a message to the state to fund our schools,” added City Council President Dan Guin, “it can’t be a bad idea.”

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.