House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop), Senator Anthony Petruccelli (D-East Boston) and Representative RoseLee Vincent (D-Revere) joined their colleagues in the Legislature to enact a $38.145 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) 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 an acute focus on behavioral health and substance abuse.
Building on a responsible yet proactive approach to bolstering the state’s economy, this year’s budget increases the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) while maintaining a voter-mandated tax reduction and without implementing new taxes or fees. For low-to-moderate households, EITC will increase to 23 percent on January 1, 2016. Increasing this credit is an effective way to fight stagnant wages and lift working families out of poverty.
“This budget demonstrates that through fiscal prudence and thoughtful investments we can achieve sustainable economic growth and set the standard for aiding citizens facing adversity,†said Speaker DeLeo. “I’m particularly proud of the measures in this spending plan that will make our local communities better places to live, work and raise a family like the safety and education initiatives.â€
“The formation of our Commonwealth’s budget continues to remain one of the most important issues debated among the two branches,†said Senator Petruccelli. “I was proud to have worked alongside Senate President Rosenberg, Senate Leadership, Speaker DeLeo and Representative Vincent in an effort to fight and receive much needed state services that will directly benefit our community while making long term spending decisions that remain critical to improving the state’s fiscal health.â€
“Given the difficult fiscal forecast at the beginning of the FY-16 budget discussions, I’m so very pleased that my colleagues and I in the legislature adopted a budget that makes sound fiscal investments in our communities,†said Representative Vincent. “It was a pleasure to work with Speaker DeLeo and Senator Petruccelli to ensure that many of Revere’s priorities were included in this budget. I thank them for their commitment to our great city, and I am proud that together, the three of us were able to secure funding in areas that are critical to our community.â€
District priorities include:
The budget takes immediate steps to address systemic 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 and:
To bolster accountability and transparency within the state’s transportation system, the law also increases the size of the MassDOT Board and makes the Secretary of Transportation chair of the Board. These updates follow two transportation reform plans accompanied by major funding increases the Legislature passed in 2009 and in 2013.
The FY16 budget targets the opioid crisis, strengthening behavioral health efforts enacted in last year’s budget and the landmark substance addiction law through several targeted investments. Many of the programs focus on co-occurring disorders and finding sustainable ways to aid in both prevention and recovery including:
This budget enhances the Commonwealth’s partnerships with cities and towns through numerous funding streams including almost $980 million to Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), a $34 million increase from FY15 and $4.5 billion for Chapter 70 (education funding). The spending plan fully 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 systems to foster equality and provide residents with a competitive edge, including:
This year’s budget emphasizes the importance of enhanced fiscal predictability and sustainable investments, a practice that has raised Massachusetts 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 the balance in excess of $1 billion.
Additional economic development measures include:
Included in the budget is a provision that protects taxpayer dollars from being spent on the 2024 Olympics, which also includes tax incentives, for the Games if they come to Massachusetts. The provision requires Boston 2024 to formally request funding from the Legislature for any specific project and make their case during a formal hearing.
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