Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The House Ways and Means Committee today released a $30.5 billion state budget proposal for fiscal 2012 that would fund the Unrestricted General Government Aid, Chapter 70, payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, regional school transportation, and special education circuit breaker accounts at generally the same level proposed by Gov. Deval Patrick earlier this year.
The budget bill includes a municipal health insurance reform proposal that would provide meaningful relief for cities and towns. (See related story.)
Unrestricted General Government Aid would be cut by $65 million (7 percent), but the state appropriation for Chapter 70 education aid would increase by $140 million.
This would mark the fourth year of cuts to the UGGA account (formerly Lottery and Additional Assistance), resulting in a total decrease of $481 million (about 37 percent) since fiscal 2008.
The budget plan would level-fund the Cherry Sheet payment-in-lieu-of-taxes account at $25 million and level-fund the regional school transportation account at $40.5 million, the same levels proposed by the governor.
Funding for the Police Career Incentive Pay Program would be eliminated. (The program is currently funded at $5 million.)
The budget bill includes small increases in the charter school reimbursement account, to fully fund the state’s estimated obligation, and to the regional library aid account.
The House is in the process of adopting an order that would require budget amendments to be submitted by Friday, April 15, with debate beginning on Monday, April 25. The House is scheduled to finish its budget deliberations by Friday, April 29.
Senate President Therese Murray announced today that the Senate would adopt tomorrow a local aid resolution that agrees with the proposed House local aid levels for Chapter 70 and Unrestricted General Government Aid. Full debate on all other accounts will wait until the Senate takes up its own budget bill in late May.