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Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Senate wrapped up debate on its fiscal 2011 state budget bill early this morning, approving a spending plan that, like the House’s version, would cut the main municipal and education aid programs by $153 million from the fiscal 2010 amounts.
The Senate did adopt several amendments that would add funds to several important smaller accounts, including the special education “circuit breaker.”
The Senate tackled some major public policy issues in its budget, including the urgent matter of local decision-making on health insurance “plan design.” (See related story.)
A House-Senate conference committee will now try to reconcile differences between the two bills and send a budget to the governor before the new fiscal year starts on July 1. Last year, the Legislature enacted a budget on June 19, and the governor signed it on June 29.
The Senate’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. Every 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 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 Senate adopted an amendment filed by Sen. Cynthia Creem of Newton to increase funding for the special education “circuit breaker” program to $146 million, about $13 million higher than the fiscal 2010 amount.
The Senate also adopted an amendment filed by Sen. Stephen Brewer of Barre, vice chair of the Senate budget committee, to increase to almost $45 million the appropriation for reimbursements to regional school districts and regional charter schools for a portion of student transportation costs, about $4 million higher than this year’s amount.
The Cherry Sheet payment-in-lieu-of-taxes account would be level-funded at $27 million in the Senate plan, the same amount approved by the House.
The Senate budget would cut the state’s share of the Police Career Incentive Pay Program (Quinn Bill) 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.
The Senate also adopted an amendment offered by Sen. Brewer that would delay the scheduled implementation of changes to the open meeting law from July 1 to Nov. 1 in order to allow cities and towns more time to prepare for the new requirements.
• Link to DLS website to view Cherry Sheet estimates based on Senate budget