Things are picking up on Beacon Hill. Yesterday we passed a historic $ 6.2 billion dollar bond bill that will invest in affordable housing, repair our public (and sadly sometimes vacant) public housing stock, and give communities additional policy tools and financial incentives to expand housing. I will share a more detailed summary after it goes through the Senate and is signed by the Governor. I was pleased to host a meeting in late May with Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus. This meeting was inspired and attended by many of our local leaders in Holliston, Hopkinton, Millis and Sherborn who care deeply about addressing the housing crisis in Massachusetts and affordability in our region.
Meanwhile – here are highlights on the House budget. While the overall budget makes some progress, I am still concerned about how funding formulas impact small towns. I have legislation prepared for the next session that will address some of the inequities I see with special ed funding, and how small business has been treated unfairly by the state.
Highlights from the House FY25 Budget
The House of Representatives passed a $58 billion FY25 budget on April 26th, 2024. This budget represents historic investments in the MBTA, continued funding for universal school meals, and meaningful investments in childcare and K-12 education. It also provides significant funding for health care, senior services, housing, workforce development, veteran services, energy, and environmental protections. Provided are a few highlights of key investments I was proud to support.
Local aid and education featured prominently in the budget, with Chapter 70 local education seeing a $309 million increase and Unrestricted General Government Aid receiving $1.283 billion. Universal school meals and the Student Opportunity Act were both fully funded for their second and fourth years, respectively, and minimum K-12 per-pupil aid was increased from $30 to a record-high $104 per pupil. Public transportation received a historic level of funding, with the MBTA receiving a record $555 million, and Regional Transportation Authorities receiving $184 million. This funding will go towards infrastructure, safety improvements, and workforce development. The House budget also demonstrates a commitment to protecting our environment, combatting climate change, and securing the state’s energy demands. Key investments include:
$10 million towards critical climate change adaptation and preparedness projects
$63.4 million towards the Clean Water Trust Fund
$14 million towards the new Disaster Relief and Resiliency Fund
$10 million towards Green SchoolWorks
30% increase to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The House budget building on previous successful investments in public safety and criminal justice reform, continues to invest in programs and policies that reduce recidivism rates and increase access to justice and inmate services. Providing $64.45 million for evidenced-based re-entry programs and $53 million in legal aid for lowest-income residents are just two investments that have helped Massachusetts lower its incarceration rate by almost half in the last decade and reduce its property crime rate by 50% and overall crime rate by 21% since 2012. Closing a medium security jail that is currently operating at half capacity which will save the state $16 million per year and avoid a $190 million renovation. MCI-Concord closure of also effectuates the
I was especially happy to support an increase in grants to Councils On Aging (senior centers) at a formula of $15 per-elder, which will allow them to meet the increased demands with the growing aging population in the Commonwealth. For senior services, the House allocated $5.6 million to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs ($1.2 million increase) so the state is better equipped to provide services to elder constituents. Funding for programs such as Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone, Elder Home Care services, and Elder Mental Health Outreach Teams targets senior health services while funding for Assisted Housing Sites, congregate houses, and nursing homes assist elder residents find or retain housing.
The legislature is committed to addressing the housing needs of all citizens of the Commonwealth, and funding in the House budget aims at assisting new families navigating the emergency assistance shelter system, renters, individuals with disabilities, and our senior population. Programs such as the Emergency Assistance Shelter System, Rental Voucher Program, and Residential Assistance for Families in Transition Program all aim to keep a roof over the head of those navigating the most turbulent times of their lives.
There are some local earmarks in the budget that we look forward to ratifying in the final budget with the Senate and Governor this summer.
As always, if I can be helpful with any personal or policy issue please reach out for assistance.
