Legislature Passes Final Budget that Prioritizes Support for Municipalities

Representative Carolyn Dykema is pleased announce that the House and Senate passed a balanced budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 on the first day of the new fiscal year, closing a $1.9 billion gap between the cost of maintaining current services and the revenue expected to be available in FY 2012. 

"In a difficult fiscal year, I'm pleased we were able to pass a responsible budget with bipartisan support that preserves essential services and improves government efficiency," said Representative Carolyn Dykema.  "I appreciate all of the input from my constituents who have contacted my office with their budget priorities. This input is invaluable throughout the process.

While many programs faced budget reductions to close the  budget gap, the House and Senate were successful in restoring some funds to critically important accounts that will assist our towns and most vulnerable citizens.  These include:

• Unspent funds from the last fiscal year, totaling $65 million, will be directed back to communities as local aid to address difficult local budgets;
• An increase in Chapter 70 education aid to municipalities from $3.85 million in FY11 to $3.99 billion.  This account is the major source of state support for local schools and provides funding directly to cities and towns based on a formula for the cost of educating children;
• $213 million for special education circuit breaker that provides funding to local school districts for educating children with the greatest need.  This increase of $80 million fills the gap left now that federal stimulus dollars are gone;
• Changes to municipal health insurance that will help towns retain employees and sustain local services, while adding protections to ensure the integrity of the negotiation process and to protect retired municipal workers;
• Restoring the Department of Environmental Protection to $350,000 above the original FY12 proposal to protect their ability to enforce with regulations and process permits;
• Level funding public libraries;
• Restoring $350,000 for local Councils on Aging.  Councils on Aging across Massachusetts provide more than 440,000 elders, families and caregivers with direct services each year;
• Full funding for the Early Intervention program which provides occupational, physical and/or speech therapies to nearly 30,000 developmentally delayed infants and toddlers;
• Nearly $500 million in funding, over $2 million than FY11, to support Department of Public Health programs that are critical to reducing chronic diseases and necessary to both reduce health care costs and improve the health of the Commonwealth;
• Restoring $5 million to 16 Regional Tourism councils, which will include funding to the newly established MetroWest Tourism Council;
• Increased funding for the State's Veteran Outreach Centers and Veterans homeless shelters by 10% at $1.91 million and $2.29 million, respectively; Provides funding for the new "Train Vets to Treat Vets" program that will create jobs for veterans while supporting veterans cope with combat-related trauma and stress, a priority for Rep Dykema;
• Level funding for the 32 recovery and rehabilitation centers called "Club Houses" which provide recovery and rehabilitation support for 15,000 adults with long term mental illness;
• Establishes a new Lyme Disease Commission that will bring together experts from a wide variety of backgrounds to develop tools for the education, treatment and prevention of Lyme disease which has been increasing each year across the Commonwealth;
• Establishes a Criminal Justice Commission to comprehensively examine our criminal justice system and work towards reducing our corrections spending and increasing our public safety outcomes through the use of a data driven approach.  This language is similar to H.3286 which Rep Dykema filed this session.

The Governor has until July 10th, 10 days after it reached his desk, to sign the budget and veto provisions or funding levels with which he disagrees.  The legislature will then have the opportunity to override any of those vetoes, which requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.  

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Following the Public Hearings earlier this spring, the Westborough State Hospital Commission will be meeting in two working group sessions to discuss the public comments and materials prepared by the consultant team.  These meetings, open to the public, will be held on:

Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Westborough Forbes Building

45 West Main Street, 2nd Floor

Tuesday, July 26, 2011, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Northborough Public Library

34 Main Street

This commission was established as a result of legislation Rep Dykema filed with the Westborough legislative delegation to ensure that the town's voice is heard during discussion of how the site would be reused after being surplussed by the state.

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