MMA letter to House members urging support of bill to protect cities, towns from further cuts

Dear Representative,

On behalf of cities and towns across the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Municipal Association is writing to express our appreciation to Speaker Robert DeLeo, Chairman Brian Dempsey and the members of the temporary House Ways and Means Committee for proposing a fiscal 2013 supplemental budget bill (H. 55) that protects cities and towns from a further mid-year reduction in local aid.

In December, Governor Patrick used his “9C” emergency budget powers to cut $28.75 million from important municipal and education aid accounts that fund local budgets, including the elimination of $11.5 million from the Special Education Circuit Breaker program, $5.25 million from the McKinney-Vento account to reimburse cities and towns for the transportation of homeless students, $1 million from regional school transportation reimbursements, $6 million from municipal incentive grants, and $5 million from six other reimbursement programs. Cities and towns absorbed this $28.75 million reduction, even though it came five months into the fiscal year, sharing in the efforts to close the state’s estimated $540 million budget gap.

Yet, the governor also proposed a further mid-year cut of $9 million from Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), funds that cities and towns use to provide core services, including public safety, public education and public works. Because the governor’s 9C powers do not extend to Section 3 local aid accounts, his budget message asked the Legislature to cut local aid by that amount and provide blanket authority for the Administration to impose further mid-year cuts without approval of the Legislature. The $9 million cut may seem small compared to the $899 million overall UGGA program, but we are over seven months into the fiscal year, which would magnify the impact of the cut, and force cities and towns to make deeper reductions, or drain what little they have in reserves. Fortunately, the supplemental budget in front of you rejects any further reduction in local aid, and protects cities and towns from this $9 million cut.

Last year, the House of Representatives enacted an impressive state budget that invested in local aid, recognizing that strong cities and towns are essential in order for the Massachusetts economy to recover and grow. We applaud Speaker DeLeo, Chairman Dempsey, and all of the members of the House for protecting local aid from further cuts, and urge you to support H. 55. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey C. Beckwith
Executive Director, MMA