Rep. Donato Proud of State Budget
As we continue to grow out of the recent economic recession, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a balanced FY16 balanced budget which emphasizes economic growth, support for residents most in need, and reform of the state’s transportation system. The spending plan makes investments in local aid, education, and human services including a focus on behavioral health and substance abuse.
As a member of the House Leadership I am proud that we were able to enact this $38.145 billion dollar budget without imposing any new taxes or fees. The budget was produced in a bi-partisan and collaborative way that makes strategic investments in some of the Commonwealth’s most critical services and programs while remaining financially responsible. Additionally, the budget reaffirms the state’s commitment to our cities and towns by providing significant increases in local aid.
Highlights of the budget include:
– Immediate steps to address systematic management problems at the MBTA by including a series of reform tools including 3-year suspension of the statute governing the procurement of private services at the MBTA; streamlined accountability at the MBTA, including providing the Secretary of Transportation authority to appoint the General Manager for the MBTA; the law also increases the size of the MassDOT Board and makes the Secretary of Transportation chair of the Board.
– Targets the opioid crisis and strengthening behavioral health. Many of the programs focus on co-occurring disorders and finding sustainable ways to aid in both prevention and recovery including: $3 million for new clinical stabilization beds to provide for treatment after detoxification; $2.5 million to expand patient access to Vivitrol, a non-narcotic drug that blocks the effect of opiates or alcohol for a period of 30 days; $1.5 million to expand opioid prevention grants; and $3.1 million for a new line item for Recovery High Schools, including $1 million to establish two new programs.
– Enhances the Commonwealth’s partnership with cities and towns through numerous funding streams including almost $980 million to Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) and $4.5 billion for Chapter 70 (education funding). The spending plan funds special education Circuit Breaker in order to help districts meet the cost of educating students with disabilities, and provides $59 million to reimburse municipalities for Regional School Transportation costs.
– In addition to educational investments through local aid, this year’s budget extends Massachusetts ongoing commitment to supporting and strengthening its educational system to foster quality and provide residents with a competitive edge, including: $4 million to increase access to high quality early education care (EEC), $12 million to serve an additional 2,000+ children on the income eligible EEC waitlist, $95.6 million for the state’s Higher Education Scholarship to help eligible Massachusetts residents cover the cost of college, and $750,000 for the Community College Workforce Training Incentive Grant Program to expand vocationally-oriented course offerings and support the work of Community Colleges in developing tomorrow’s workforce.
– Emphasizes the importance of enhanced fiscal predictability and sustainable investments, a practice that has raised Massachusetts’s bond rating to AA+, the highest in the state’s history. For the first time since 2007, the budget does not withdraw any funds from the Commonwealth’s stabilization fund, leaving a balance in excess of $1 billion.
– The budget also included a provision that protected taxpayer’s dollars from being spent on the 2024 Olympics which appears to be a moot point now.
As you can see from the above, our Commonwealth continues to move forward as we prepare to meet future challenges.
– Submitted by State Rep. Paul Donato’s office