Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
During a meeting of the Local Government Advisory Commission on April 8, Marlborough Councillor Mike Ossing discusses local funding needs for roads, bridges and culverts.
The House yesterday approved a $1.3 billion supplemental budget bill that primarily leverages surplus surtax funds from fiscal 2024.
Under state statute, funds from the surtax on annual incomes over $1 million can only be used for education and transportation programs. The House bill (H. 4010) would designate $353.5 million for education investments and $828 million for transportation.
The bill includes $190 million for Special Education Circuit Breaker reimbursements to complement funding in the fiscal 2026 state budget, and $58 million for Special Education Circuit Breaker needs for the current fiscal year, using funds from the Student Opportunity Act Trust Fund.
The bill also includes $10 million for Universal School Meals and $10 million for the Green School Works program.
The bill’s transportation investments focused on the MBTA, but included $10 million for unpaved roads.
Acknowledging the high cost of providing school transportation, the bill would direct the Office of the Inspector General to publish a report on best practices for providing transportation services, including procurement of those services. The report would be due in February.
The supplemental budget bill is expected to be referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, where action could occur in the coming weeks.
On April 3, MMA Executive Director Adam Chapdelaine testified before the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, which heard testimony from invited stakeholders about how the state should leverage the $1.3 billion in surplus surtax revenue from fiscal 2024.