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| Randy Hunt for State Rep | Budget analysis |
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A vote for the state's budget was a vote against your town
The $27.6 billion fiscal year 2011 state budget is 1.3% less than the year before. That seemed like good news to me... Until I looked a little closer at the numbers.
Before I forget, the commonwealth will actually spend more than $50 billion next year, including all those outside of GAA (general appropriations authorization) expenditures, like MassPort, MBTA, etc.
But for my purposes here, we'll stick to the GAA.
If the total budget was slashed (well, that's probably too strong a term), make that trimmed by 1.3%, you'd understand if state aid to our towns would also be trimmed by the same percentage. Wouldn't you? I mean, everybody has to have skin in the game, right?
So what happened to local aid in the latest budget?
Sit down.
Take a deep breath.
Okay. Ready?
For the four towns in the 5th Barnstable state representative district-Barnstable, Bourne, Mashpee and Sandwich-state aid is scheduled to drop 9.7%.
That's more than just skin in the game. That's skin, muscle and bones.
What state representative would vote for a budget that punishes the towns he represents 7.5 times more than the overall rate of reduction? (9.7% divided by 1.3%)
Should such a "representative" be rewarded for the absolute disregard of his district with a win at the polls on November 2nd?
You decide.
A "Yea" vote is a vote to slash local aid to Barnstable, Bourne, Mashpee and Sandwich. Here they are:
Demetrius Atsalis - Yea
Susan Gifford - Nay
Matt Patrick - Yea
Jeff Perry - Nay
Cleon Turner - Yea
Just another example of the legislature turning towns and cities into their whipping post. Stop using local aid to sop up the red ink created by unbridled overspending.
Click here for the entire House of Representatives' roll call.
The numbers are there for everyone to see. Click here to see for yourself.
I downloaded the FY2011 and FY2010 Cherry Sheets. Those are the Department of Revenue's lists of local aid items (payments by the state to cities and towns) and assessments (payments by the cities and towns to the state, county or other towns).
When local aid goes down and assessments go up, it's a double whammy. And that's what's happening to the 5th Barnstable towns this coming year.
The net Cherry Sheet amounts (local aid less assessments) follow:
Barnstable
FY2010: $5,058,276
FY2011: $4,460,770
Reduction: $597,506 | 12%
Bourne
FY2010: $5,270,583
FY2011: $4,689,706
Reduction: $580,877 | 11%
Mashpee
FY2010: $4,795,686
FY2011: $4,169,623
Reduction: $626,063 | 13%
Sandwich
FY2010: $7,291,638
FY2011: $6,931,633
Reduction: $360,005 | 5%
Total for the four towns
FY2010: $22,416,183
FY2011: $20,251,732
Reduction: $2,164,451 | 9.7% |
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More about Randy's campaign
I am running to be your State Representative in the 5th Barnstable District and will bring a unique perspective to the job with my experience of nine years as a selectman and finance committee member and strong financial background.
Find out much more about the campaign at www.ElectRandyHunt.com. Thank you in advance for all you will do to help us keep a conservative voice on Beacon Hill.
Sincerely,  |
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