Lawmakers Increase Aid For Towns, School Districts In State Budget

MASSACHUSETTS — The state budget passed Monday includes a 5.4 percent increase in aid for local governments, as well a 9 percent increase in Chapter 70 funding for public school districts over the budget for the year ended June 30.

Gov. Charlie Baker has up to ten days to approve it or send it back to legislatures.

The $52.7 billion package does not contain any broad-based tax hikes, and tax revenues are actually above previous estimates - leaving a surplus of around $3 billion after fiscal year 2022.

The budget also taps into reserve cash, as lawmakers worry about the impact the negative economic forecasts will have on state revenues in the coming year.

"All indications from many economists is that things are going to slow down over the next fiscal year, and we are preparing for it," Sen. Rodrigues, who serves as the Senate's budget chief, told the Globe.

The proposal would grant $110 million for universal free school meals to all public school children in the next year, regardless of parental income. An additional $2 million will go to grants for security and related infrastructure at abortion clinics, and would end child marriage in Massachusetts by setting the minimum age for marriage at 18.

Read more: Massachusetts Passes Ban On Child Marriage

School districts will see $494 million in local aid, and state judges, clerks, registers, and assistant clerks will receive a 12.5 percent pay raise if Gov. Baker passes the proposal.

Another provision to the proposal would create a two-year pilot program to expand the eligibility for public-subsidized health insurance to people who earn less than 500 percent of the federal poverty level, or an individual salary of $68,000 per year.

The budget bill would also create a new Behavioral Health Access and Crisis Intervention Trust Fund that would create a system to deliver behavioral health crisis intervention services 24/7 in mobile and community-based settings to assist all residents regardless of insurance.

The MBTA will receive $266 million in a reserve account to help fix some of the safety issues outlined in the FTA's negative report.

Read more: MBTA Ordered To Take 'Immediate Action' On Safety Issues: FTA

The budget proposal will also add two seats to the MBTA's board - one appointed by the mayor of Boston and the other selected by other municipalities that are served by the MBTA, Rep. Aaron Michlewitz told the Boston Globe.