MMA asks Senate members to support and build on investments in FY26 state budget bill

Dear Senator,

We are writing to express our deep appreciation for the many provisions in the Senate Ways & Means Committee budget proposal (S.3) that benefit and support cities and towns across the Commonwealth. We welcome this opportunity to offer insights on proposed amendments that you will consider as you deliberate on a final fiscal 2026 state budget.

S.3 increases Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) by $28.8 million (2.2%), which is evidence that Senate leaders are once again prioritizing a strong partnership with cities and towns. This will provide critical support to communities in order to deliver essential local services to their residents. The MMA is grateful for this proposal during an especially challenging municipal budget year.

The Senate Ways & Means proposal also reflects a commitment to cities and towns by increasing several key local accounts, including funding year five of six of the landmark Student Opportunity Act, and increasing Chapter 70 minimum aid to $150 per pupil. This increase to Chapter 70 minimum aid has been a top priority for cities and towns, and this investment would have a tremendous impact on schools across the Commonwealth.

We are deeply grateful to Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, and the Members of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means for the essential investments provided by S. 3. This strong support shows a powerful understanding of the needs of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.

In this letter, we are respectfully asking you to support amendments to build on the impressive Senate Ways & Means proposal.

Please Support the Following Key Municipal and Education Amendments

Amendments 652, 626, 603 (Regional School Transportation) – Please support an increase to the Regional School Transportation account (7035-0006), which is critical to rural and smaller communities. Amendment 652, filed by Senator Cronin, would fully fund the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s fiscal 2026 projected claims. We also support similar measures through amendments 626 and 603 filed by Senator Durant and Senator Tarr, respectively, to increase funding for the program.

Amendment 703 (Rural School Aid) – Please support an increase of $9 million to the Rural School Aid account (7061-9813), which targets the unique challenges experienced by rural school districts. Amendment 703, filed by Senator Mark, would provide a much-needed infusion to this key account, to a new total of $25 million.

Amendment 673 (Charter School Payments) – Please support an increase for Charter School Mitigation Payments (7061-9010), which help alleviate a major financial burden on cities and towns. Because the great majority of K-12 students attend local public schools, diverting Chapter 70 funds to charter schools has a negative impact on the vast majority of schoolchildren. Amendment 673, filed by Senator Robyn Kennedy, would increase funding to these mitigation payments and expand the reimbursement timeline by one additional year.

Amendment 736 (Reimbursement for Statewide Vocational Transportation) – Please support an increase for Out-of-District Vocational Transportation to bring the account (7035-0007) from $1 million to $6 million. Amendment 736, filed by Senator Mark, would fund approximately 78% of the anticipated claims for fiscal year 2026.

Amendment 665 (To Ensure Adequate and Equitable Funding for Public Education) – The passage of the historic Student Opportunity Act in 2019 has brought massive investments in public K-12 education. As we near the end of the six-year rollout, certain trends have started to emerge. With major increases in the state’s foundation budget, municipalities are seeing their portion of the contribution increase, significantly outpacing municipal revenue growth. Amendment 665, filed by Senator Lewis, would create a commission to make updated recommendations for adequately and equitably funding PreK-12 public education in the Commonwealth. We strongly support this effort and are ready to partner with the Legislature to explore ways to strengthen the Chapter 70 formula.

Amendments 658 and 726 (MSBA Commission) – Please support Amendments 658 and 726, filed by Senator Lewis and Senator Crighton, which would create a special commission to study the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The commission would review and make recommendations concerning reimbursement rates for construction and other areas to maximize this important resource for cities and towns.

Amendment 770 (Returning Liquor License Control to Municipalities) – Please support greater authority at the local level to grant additional liquor licenses. Amendment 770, filed by Senator Oliveira, would lift the statutory liquor license caps and allow a municipality, at local discretion, to create a plan for the number of liquor licenses that it deems appropriate. Empowering communities with this work will further catalyze economic development in our cities and towns.

Summary
Cities and towns are facing a perfect storm of inflationary pressures and the constraints of Proposition 2½ – squeezing local operating budgets and impacting key municipal and school services. Growing uncertainty from the federal government has increased this challenge. We are deeply grateful to Senate President Spilka and Chair Rodrigues for presenting a fiscal blueprint that makes significant and timely investments in the Commonwealth’s communities. Municipalities are excited to build on this essential partnership with state leaders to tackle the critical issues facing the Commonwealth.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to have your office contact me or MMA Senior Executive and Legislative Director Dave Koffman at dkoffman@mma.org.

Thank you for your support and commitment to cities and towns in Massachusetts!

Sincerely,

Adam Chapdelaine
Executive Director & CEO