BOSTON - A budget billed by House leaders as needed to close the books on fiscal 2007, which ended June 30, contains an array of surplus spending items, including nearly $454,000 to enable Gov. Deval Patrick to expand the state's Washington D.C. office and a provision to facilitate pay raises for the governor and other constitutional officers.
After an 11th-hour amendment by Senate Ways and Means chairman Steven Panagiotakos, D-Lowell, both branches passed the bill Thursday and sent it to the governor's desk. Rep. Robert DeLeo, D-Revere, said one avenue "that we have not sought out enough" is the state's relations in Washington on major issues like transportation and welfare.
The 66-section budget also includes $20 million for the Committee for Public Counsel Services, $116 million to fund collective bargaining agreements with public employees, and $200,000 for a special commission to help the governor prepare his long-term education strategy.
The budget also includes $6.9 million in Hayes Report funding to address suicides in the state's correctional system; funds for pay raises to district attorneys who have not received raised since 1999, and a provision to tie constitutional officer pay to the system that automatically adjusts legislative pay.
The budget would create a board controlled by gubernatorial appointees to "study the adequacy of compensation of officials" and submit recommendations by Dec. 5. DeLeo said the budget puts $50 million into the rainy day fund, $43 million into a Massachusetts Alternative and Clean Energy Investment Trust Fund, $15 million into the Massachusetts Life Sciences Investment Fund, $15 million for the Emerging Technology Fund, $10 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, $10 million for the Smart Growth Housing Trust Fund and $7 million for the Cultural Facilities Fund.
The budget also gives municipalities more time to decide whether to opt into the state's health insurance program. DeLeo said some of Patrick's education initiatives offered through his mini-budget require further legislative review.
The mini-budget instructs the comptroller not to transfer .5 percent of total tax revenues for the stabilization fund and House Minority Leader Bradley Jones, R-North Reading, expressed concern that the mini-budget would widen the state's structural budget gap and set aside less for the rainy day fund than previous Legislatures had anticipated.
DeLeo said the stabilization fund has $2.2 billion and said Massachusetts is in the "higher echelon" compared to stabilization funds in other states. Jones also disputed the contention of Democratic legislative leaders that the mini-budget only replenishes accounts that have run dry.
"This is simply a means of soaking up surplus funds," said Jones.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
Gracelyn Wright struck out eight, and Genevieve Lagess went 3-for-5 with four runs batted in as the Hurricanes beat Monson, 17-3, to claim their first Western Mass title in four years. click for more
For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
