Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
In one of his first actions in office, Gov. Charlie Baker today directed the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to follow through on his campaign promise to release immediately $100 million in Chapter 90 bond authorizations that had been withheld by the previous administration.
“I am pleased that one of the first acts of this administration is to fulfill our commitment to ensure local governments have access to the infrastructure funds they have been promised for transportation upgrades,” Gov. Baker said in a prepared statement. “The release of these funds represents a step toward creating better jobs and building stronger communities in Massachusetts.”
“On behalf of all cities and towns, the Massachusetts Municipal Association applauds Gov. Charlie Baker for releasing $100 million in Chapter 90 funds to repair, maintain and rebuild local roads,” said MMA Executive Director Geoff Beckwith. “Gov. Baker knows the importance of investing in our local transportation systems, and by releasing these funds as one of his first acts after taking the oath of office, he is demonstrating his determination to forge a powerful state-local partnership to improve our economy, enhance public safety, and build stronger communities.”
A letter from Gov. Baker was issued today informing local officials of his decision to release the funds, meaning that cities and towns will now receive the full $300 million in Chapter 90 funding authorized for fiscal 2015 – a record level of funding.
“After serving as local elected officials, Gov. Baker and I understand the need for a strong partnership between our communities and state government,” Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said in a statement. “Today’s announcement sends a clear message that our administration will be responsive to the needs of local governments across the Commonwealth.”
A $300 million Chapter 90 authorization for fiscal 2015 was included in a $13 billion transportation bond bill enacted last year. Decisions about how much funding to actually release are made by the governor’s office, however, and the Patrick administration decided to release just $200 million.
At the 2014 MMA Annual Meeting last January, then-candidate Baker famously declared that he would release the full $300 million “before I take my jacket off on my first day,” a statement that was met with loud applause from the hundreds of local officials in the audience.
A statewide survey conducted by the MMA two years ago documents that cities and towns would need to spend $562 million each year to maintain local roads in a “state of good repair,” the industry standard, but communities spend far less due to inadequate resources.
The MMA is currently compiling the results from an updated local road funding needs survey, which will be used to document the need for a $300 million annual authorization for Chapter 90 in a multi-year bill.
Chapter 90 reimburses cities and towns for costs incurred for eligible transportation projects. Each community’s share of funding is predetermined by a formula that includes factors such as population, road miles and employment.