MMA seeks quick action on local aid, plan design

The MMA is asking the Legislature to adopt a local aid resolution, based on Gov. Deval Patrick’s $32 million budget proposal, by early March so that cities and towns will know the minimum amounts of assistance they will receive in fiscal 2012.

Last year, the House and Senate released a special local aid “statement” on March 12 that listed minimum state assistance amounts for municipalities and school districts. A formal local aid resolution was last approved in 2008.

At the Feb. 22 hearing of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, the MMA testified that early agreement on local aid numbers would be very helpful as municipalities strive to balance their budgets for local approval this spring.

With cities and towns facing extremely difficult fiscal times, panelists urged the two budget committees to tackle health insurance plan design legislation as soon as possible, so that municipalities could take immediate action to protect services and limit layoffs among firefighters, police, teachers and other municipal employees.

The MMA also asked members of the Ways and Means committees for quick action on transportation bond legislation, so that notification letters can be sent to city and town officials by April 1, as is customary.

Patrick, who announced at the MMA Annual Meeting in January that he would recommend that Chapter 90 authorizations be increased to $200 million next year, is expected to file a transportation bond bill by the beginning of March.

The Legislature’s joint budget committee hearing in Amherst was chaired by Rep. Stephen Kulik of Worthington, the House committee’s vice-chair, and Sen. Gail Candaras of Wilbraham.

The MMA’s panel of speakers included MMA President and Natick Selectman Josh Ostroff, Northampton Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, and Deerfield Town Administrator Bernard Kubiak, as well as MMA Executive Director Geoff Beckwith.