HOUSE BUDGET PASSED

Bill makes targeted investments-focuses on local aid, education

BOSTON – State Representative Barbara L’Italien (D-Andover) joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing a $28 billion operating budget that targets aid to cities and towns and provides additional funding for education, public safety, the environment, and health and human service initiatives. The budget addresses Massachusetts’ fiscal challenges by investing in initiatives that will grow the economy, provide for the operation of state programs and services, and care for those most in need.

The budget includes local aid funding levels agreed to by the House of Representatives and Senate in March that will send $5.26 billion to cities and towns. Chapter 70 education funding will receive an additional $223 million, for a total of $3.95 billion, which is a 6 percent increase over last year. Cities and towns will also receive $811 million in unrestricted Lottery distribution funds plus an additional $124 million distributed from the General Fund, bringing the total to $935 million.

“I am very pleased that this budget made education and local aid a top priority,” said Rep. L’Italien. “It is important that we continue to move forward and do all we can to assist our cities and towns with vital funding.”

Through the work of Rep. L’Italien and other Members of the House, the budget contains historic increases in Chapter 70 public education funding to local communities and increased funding for anti-crime and neighborhood policing funding. The budget also includes funds to keep water and sewer rate increases down and increases salaries for many of the lowest paid care providers who tend to the Bay State’s most ill and disabled.

“Moving to ease property tax burdens and help municipalities fund essential services, the House of Representative passed a fiscally responsible, balanced budget. Our commitment to the cities and towns of the Commonwealth has endured through even the toughest economic times and I am proud to have worked with Rep. L’Italien to once again affirm that commitment with this budget,” said House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi (D-Boston).

“During the budget debate, Rep. L’Italien made her voice heard on the issues and priorities that are important to the people of the 18th Essex District and Massachusetts. Rep. L’Italien fought for education, public safety and the environment. Rep. L’Italien fought to help those most in need and to protect the most vulnerable. But most importantly, Rep. L’Italien fought for her constituents and played a major part in passing a budget that makes the most out of tight resources,” stated House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop).

A few highlights of the budget passed include:

Local Aid & Public Safety

 Provided an additional $124 million in Lottery distribution to ensure cities and towns are held harmless and receive $935 million in unrestricted local aid;

 Provided an increase of $223 million in Chapter 70 school aid distribution, which is a 6 percent increase over last year, bringing the total to $3.95 million;

 Recapitalized the District Local Technical Assistance Fund with $2 million to help cities and towns realize savings through regionalization of municipal services;

 Provided $20 million for the Sewer Rate Relief fund to help control the water and sewer bills of ratepayers throughout the Commonwealth;

 Provided $379.7 million in the Additional Assistance line item;

 Provided $30.3 million for the PILOT program for state owned land;

 Provided $21.3 million for Community Policing grants to cites and towns;

 Provided $13 million for the Shannon Grants anti-gang violence program;

 Provided $2.5 million for Fire Equipment Grants; and

 Provided $4 million for Municipal Police Grants;

Education

 Provided $5 million for the Child Care Rate Reserve;

 Provided $10 million for the Head Start program;

 Provided $12.1 million for universal pre-kindergarten grants;

 Provided $5 million for after school programs; and

 Provided $17.5 million for extending learning time grants.

Health and Human Services

 Provided $5 million for the improvement of services at the Department of Social Services;

 Provided $8.5 million for the Grants to Councils on Aging line item;

 Provided $16.2 million for Elders Protective Services;

 Provided $80.5 million for the Substance Abuse line-item;

 Provided $5.06 million for the domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and treatment program;

 Provided $4.75 million for Suicide Prevention services; and

 Provided $5.42 million for the Children’s Autism Medicaid Waiver in the Autism Division line item in order to maximize federal reimbursements.

Housing and Homelessness

 Provided $67 million for Local Housing Authorities Operating Subsidies;

 Provided $800,000 for Homeless Management Information Systems;

 Provided $8.25 million to support the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Commission to End Homelessness in the Commonwealth. This funding will be combined with $1.75 million from MassHousing to provide a total of $10 million;

 Provided $5.75 million for the continuation of the Soft Second Loan Program;

 Provided $32.95 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program; and

 Provided $5.25 million for the RAFT rental voucher program

Transportation & Economic Development

 Provided $1.46 million for Massachusetts International Trade Council to increase Massachusetts’ presence on the global economic stage;

 Provided $7.7 million for the Summer Jobs Program for At-Risk Youth;

 Provided $4 million for expedited permitting and technical assistance grants to municipalities;

 Provided $6.5M for the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund;

 Provided $31.1 million for Adult Basic Education;

 Provided $60.1 million for Regional Transit Authorities (RTA) contract assistance line item; and

 Provided full funding of the Life Sciences Initiative as passed by the House, for a total of $23.72 million including:

o $3 million for life science-related workforce training grants;

o $1 million to support academic and industrial research and development and life science business exchanges with Israel;

o $2.5 million for Biotechnology Workforce Training Grants;

o $250,000 to promote research and development of plant-made pharmaceuticals;

o $570,000 for the stem cell bank and stem cell registry at UMass Medical Center; and

o $200,000 for the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center.

APPROPRIATION INCREASE FOR DIVISION ON AUTISM AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSPORTATION

BOSTON, MA – Representative Barbara L’Italien (D-Andover) today announced that a $2,400,000 increase was appropriated to the Division on Autism and a $2,000,000 appropriation was allocated to Special Education Out of District Transportation. Both were voted on favorably by the House.

The Division on Autism funding, now totaling $5,321,753, includes:

• $4M for the Autism Medicaid Waiver in order to support children with autism at risk of institutionalization in their home and communities ($2M of this will be reimbursed by Medicaid);
• $921,753 in funding to enable the division to provide much-needed services to autistic children;
• $200,000 for Melmark New England to provide training and support to families, educational collaboratives and public school districts on methods for coping with behavioral challenges associated with children who have autism
• $100,000 for New England Center for Children, Inc. to provide training and support to public school districts and families for the establishment of in district partner classrooms to serve children with autism
• $100,000 for Asperger’s Association of New England to provide support services to individuals with high functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.

The $2,000,000 for Special Education Out of District Transportation is a first time spending initiative in the state budget and will help alleviate some of the burden on cities and towns who are struggling to make ends meet.

“This additional funding for special education transportation and autism will be extremely helpful for both the communities and the autism community,” said Representative L’Italien. “Special education transportation is a very costly but needed service and I am glad we were able to assist in covering some of the costs. Autism is a growing epidemic effecting 1 in 122 births in Massachusetts and we need to continue to provide essential services for families in need.”

The budget will now proceed to the Senate for further consideration. Any differences between the House and Senate budgets will be resolved in a Conference Committee before being sent to the Governor for his signature.