Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee today released a state budget bill that would level-fund Unrestricted General Government Aid at $899 million, $21 million less than what the House has approved.
The Senate budget bill would increase Chapter 70 education aid to school districts by $130.1 million, $15.2 million more than what the House approved. The Senate proposal would fully fund the foundation budget formula, provide a minimum increase of $25 per student to every school district, and add $16.9 million to phase in the 2006 target-share reforms.
Funding for the special education circuit breaker, charter school reimbursements, and regional school reimbursements also would be higher than the House numbers. The Senate bill calls for $252.8 million for the special education circuit breaker, bringing that program much closer to full funding. This amount is $14.3 million more than the House budget and $22.3 million more than the budget filed by Gov. Deval Patrick in January.
In December, the Patrick administration cut regional student transportation reimbursements by $1 million, lowering the account to $44.5 million. The House would increase the fiscal 2014 funding level to $46 million, and the Senate Ways and Means Committee is proposing $49.5 million – $3.5 million more than the House. Full funding would require $78 million.
The Shannon Anti-Gang Grant Program would be funded at $4.5 million in the House’s fiscal 2014 budget plan, and the Senate budget committee proposes to add $1.75 million, which would restore the program to the current $6.25 million level.
Several other local aid accounts are level-funded in the Senate Ways and Means budget, including payments to cities and towns that host state property ($26.3 million) and support fort the program to transport homeless students to their original school districts ($6.05 million).
Library aid would be level-funded in the Senate budget plan ($16.055 million), which is $48,000 lower than the House-passed amount.
The $33.9 billion Senate Ways and Means budget bill would increase overall state spending by 4.4 percent. Amendments are due by Friday, with the Senate scheduled to take up the budget next week.
Once the full Senate has approved a budget bill, House and Senate leadership will appoint a conference committee to iron out differences between the bills passed by each branch. The Legislature is expected to approve a final budget bill and send it to the governor in time for the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1.