Wakefield Delegation Helps Invest Surplus Fair Share Dollars in Education and Transportation

BOSTON—State Senator Jason Lewis and State Representatives Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Donald Wong joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass a $1.4 billion supplemental budget using surplus Fair Share Amendment revenue to continue investing in public education and transportation projects across the Commonwealth.

The Wakefield delegation was able to include $125,000 specifically allocated for the Town of Wakefield. $100,000 will be used for roadway improvements and $25,000 will be given to the Wakefield Police Department for a traffic and speed monitoring subscription service.

The Fair Share Amendment (FSA), approved by Massachusetts voters in 2022 to implement an additional 4% state income tax on annual household income over $1 million, has proved to be immensely successful, raising billions of dollars over projections for the state that must be used only for public education and transportation purposes.

Using Fair Share revenue over the past few years, the state legislature has been lowering the cost of public higher education, including making community college free for all students; increasing access to high-quality, affordable early education; fixing roads and bridges; investing in improvements to the MBTA; providing universal, free school meals for all K-12 students; and more.

The Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) state budget previously allocated the use of $1.3 billion of Fair Share revenue, but due to FSA revenues exceeding projections, the Legislature was able to pass this supplemental budget with an additional $1.4 billion of Fair Share revenue which will be used to upgrade the MBTA, provide more support for K-12 special education costs, provide additional road and bridge funding for local municipalities, and more.

“I am proud to have been the lead Senate sponsor of the Fair Share Amendment. With this revenue from the state’s highest earners, we can make additional investments in the high-quality public schools and transportation infrastructure that help make Massachusetts a top-ranking state to live in and raise a family,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “These Fair Share dollars will be especially helpful now when so many municipalities and school districts are facing severe fiscal challenges.”

“I am proud to join the Legislature in appropriating significant statewide investments to public education and transportation, priorities for the 32nd Middlesex, that will enhance daily life for all residents including MBTA riders, students, and educators,” said Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian. “I’m additionally glad to secure local earmarks with the Wakefield delegation for street improvements and to enhance the Police Department’s efforts with respect to speed and traffic safety.”

“I'm pleased that the House and Senate were able to finalize a supplemental budget providing communities with additional special education circuit breaker funding and money for local road improvements,” said Representative Donald Wong.

Highlights of this Fair Share supplemental budget include:

• $535 million for the MBTA, including $20 million for the MBTA’s low-income fare relief program.
• $248 million for K-12 special education costs, including circuit breaker reimbursements to local school districts.
• $103 million to cities and towns for local transportation projects, including improvements to roads, bridges, and culverts.
• $100 million for career technical education capital grants to expand capacity and accommodate additional career technical educational opportunities for students.
• $115 million for public higher education facilities deferred maintenance, including $10 million for lab resources for community colleges.
• $45 million to support the early education and childcare sector through workforce, affordability, and quality improvements.
• $25 million for early literacy programs to support accelerated literacy growth for students in kindergarten through grade 3.
• $10 million for English-Language Learning programs to reduce the waitlist for services for speakers of languages other than English to learn English and subsequently help fill in-demand jobs.
• $10 million for Green Schoolworks grants for clean energy infrastructure improvements in schools.
• $10 million to support the new Boston Holocaust Museum.
• $2.5 million for the Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program for scholarships and loan forgiveness initiatives to encourage qualified high school and college students to seek a career pathway to teach in the Massachusetts public school system.

After final passage in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the bill was signed into law by Governor Maura Healey on June 24, 2025.