Rep. Michael Day Helps Pass FY26 House Budget

BOSTON – Friday May 2, 2025 – Representative Michael S. Day worked with his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to pass its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget on April 30, 2025. Funded at $61.47 billion, the House’s FY26 budget responds to the needs of residents, provides strong support for Stoneham and Winchester and makes essential investments, including significant funding for education, transportation, health care, housing and workforce development. While making record investments in municipal and educational funding, the House budget proposal remains balanced and imposes no new taxes on residents.

“I am proud of the end results of this budget and the values contained in it,” said Representative Day. “In the face of instability and inaction from Washington, we have delivered a responsible plan that prioritizes critical investments in our communities and ensures the ongoing strength of the Massachusetts economy as well as provides significant financial help directly to Stoneham.”

“The House’s FY26 budget makes key investments that better support Massachusetts students and families, that increase access to affordable health care, and that provide for a safer and more reliable public transportation system – all without raising taxes. In a moment of incredible uncertainty at the federal level, our budget is proof that government can be both fiscally responsible and an agent of good, the kind of government that our residents deserve,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano.

Under the House budget, Stoneham will receive a record $7.89 million in education funding, which is a $2.5 million increase over the last five years for the Town. Stoneham will also receive $4.5 million in unrestricted general government aid, an increase of $730K over the last five years that will be available to the town to defray municipal expenses. Additionally, Representative Day secured a direct appropriation of $200,000 to Stoneham for a Senior Tax Abatement Program that will provide property tax relief to eligible seniors in the Town, helping them remain in their homes by reducing their tax burdens.

“I am particularly happy that my colleagues agreed to support this direct appropriation to Stoneham,” continued Representative Day. “With the cost of living rising and the challenges presented to everyday life by the proposed funding cuts and tariffs coming out of the federal government, this appropriation will provide meaningful relief to our seniors here.”

Local Aid and Education

The FY26 House budget funds statewide Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) at $1.283 billion, and Chapter 70 education funding at $7.121 billion. With the advocacy of Representative Day, the House budget provides an additional $120 per pupil in minimum supplements, increasing the minimum aid to $150 per pupil that increases total spending by $257.2 million over the FY25 budget. The budget also funds the fifth year of a six-year implementation plan for the Student Opportunity Act (SOA), enacted to ensure that public schools have the necessary resources to provide high-quality education to students, regardless of zip code or income level. The House budget also includes the following additional education funding initiatives: $483.2 million for the Special Education Circuit Breaker program; $199 million for municipal charter school aid; $122.1million for regional school transportation; and $28.7 million for homeless student transportation. The House’s FY25 budget continues to fully fund universal free school meals programming for every public-school student in the Commonwealth, making Massachusetts one of only six states in the country ensuring food security for its students.

Public Health and Mental Health

The House budget funds the Department of Public Health at $1.05 billion and the Department of Mental Health at $1.28 billion for FY26. Based on the House’s acceptance of Representative Day’s amendment, the budget includes $250,000 for The Nan Project, a program that has been utilized in Stoneham Public Schools designed to combat teen suicide by employing a peer-to-peer model in the classroom itself. Additional investments include: $194.5 million for the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (BSAS); $14.3 million for statewide and community-based suicide prevention; $661.9 million for adult support services; and $128.6 million for child and adolescent services.

Affordable and Accessible Housing

The FY26 budget maintains the House’s commitment to protect renters and homeowners across the Commonwealth from eviction and homelessness by investing in the following programs: $275 million for the Emergency Assistance (EA) program, providing shelter to families with children and pregnant women; $258.1 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP); $207.5 million for Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program; and $57.3 million for HomeBase. The House budget also includes strong tenant protections against exploitative brokers fees and increases funding for the access to counsel program for low-income tenants and landlords, an initiative that Representative Day helped secure in the law last year.

Early Education and Care

Continuing its longstanding commitment to improving the early education and care (EEC) workforce, the House budget includes $1.67 billion, $126.3 million more than FY25 to sustain recent rate increases and other historic investments in childcare access across the Commonwealth in FY26. Other early education and care investments include: $475 million for Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants; $448.2 million for childcare for children involved with the Department of Children & Families and the Department of Transitional Assistance; $517.6 million for childcare for low-income families; $18.5 million for Head Start grants; and $15 million for an EEC educator scholarship and loan forgiveness program.

Public Transportation

The House budget includes a record investment of $687 million for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) . “We know the MBTA is in dire need of funding to repair its infrastructure and increase its services to our residents,” added Representative Day. “This historic investment will help to ensure that the MBTA fulfills its commitment to providing us with safe and reliable mass transit options.”

Workforce Development

The House budget funds the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development at $113.4 million and invests in the following initiatives: $58.9 million for Adult Basic Education Services; $18.9 million for DTA Employment and Training Services; $15.2 million for Summer Jobs for At Risk Youth; and $10 million for the Targeted Scholarship Program for high-demand industries.

Energy and Environmental Affairs

In the face of expected significant cuts from the federal government, the House budget appropriates $505.4 million in Energy and Environmental Affairs programs, including: $163.4 million for the Department of Conservation and Recreation; $85.3 million for the Department of Environmental Protection; $67.2 million for the Department of Agricultural Resources; and $63.4 million for the Clean Water Trust.

The House also includes an additional $25 million transfer to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and $20 million in continued support for Green SchoolWorks program to decarbonize and increase efficiency in our schools through green energy projects.

The budget passed the House of Representatives 151-6 on Wednesday, April 29 after consideration and debate of more than 1,600 suggested amendments. It now moves to the State Senate for that chamber’s consideration.