Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The fiscal 2011 state spending plan released by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means today would cut the main municipal and school aid programs by the same amount as the budget plan approved by the House late last month.
The local aid cuts are also consistent with those announced by House and Senate leaders in mid-March.
The Senate committee’s $28 billion budget bill would cut the main municipal aid account (Unrestricted General Government Aid) by $37 million, or 4 percent, to $899 million. Each city and town would see a 4 percent cut.
Funding for Chapter 70 education aid would be cut by 3 percent statewide, to $3.93 billion. While the House’s plan reached this level of funding by using $75 million from remaining federal economic stimulus grants, the Senate budget committee uses more state revenue and $50 million in temporary federal funds.
Most school districts would receive a 4 percent cut in Chapter 70, although some would see lesser cuts in order to avoid dropping below the minimum foundation level of spending.
The Cherry Sheet Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) account would be level-funded at $27 million in the Senate plan, the same amount approved by the House.
The state’s share of the Police Career Incentive Pay Program (Quinn Bill) would be cut from $10 million in fiscal 2010 to $5 million, also the same amount approved by the House. Full funding of the state’s 50-percent share would require almost $60 million.
For school accounts, the Senate bill would level-fund the special education “circuit breaker” program at $133 million, about $2 million less than the amount approved by the House. The appropriation for reimbursements to regional school districts and regional charter schools to cover a portion of student transportation costs would be level-funded at $41 million, about $2 million less than the House amount.
For students sent to out-of-district vocational education programs, the Senate language appears to expand the eligibility for reimbursements to include municipalities, districts and collaboratives that formerly received reimbursements under a separate account.
Sen. Stephen Brewer, vice chair of the Senate budget committee, announced that he will be filing an amendment to increase funding for the “circuit breaker” account by $13 million (10 percent) and the transportation account by $4 million (10 percent).
The Senate is expected to begin debate of its budget bill next Wednesday and wrap up by the start of the Memorial Day weekend. The House and Senate will then have to work out any differences in the two plans before a final bill can be sent to the governor for his signature.