What Barnstable Gets In $3.8 Billion MA Spending Bill

BARNSTABLE, MA — A $3.8 billion spending plan was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker. The bill uses a combination of federal pandemic stimulus dollars and state surplus money to pay for an enormous variety of initiatives — but omits permanent tax cuts that were part of discussions earlier this year.

Baker signed the bill into law after months of back-and-forth between his administration and the state legislature.

Included in the bill are funds earmarked for communities across Massachusetts. Among those funds for Barnstable are:

• $50,000 for the construction of a playground and recreational area for the children and families of the precinct of Marstons Mills in Barnstable
• $50,000 for the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, Inc. for the distribution of food to veterans in need in Barnstable County
• $50,000 to the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, Inc., for the reimbursement of vehicle fuel costs associated with the delivery of food to veterans
• $20,000 for facility upgrades to the United States Customs House, including the Coast Guard Heritage Museum, to protect and preserve the museum’s historic archives and ensure the safety and comfort of visitors and volunteer docents

According to Patch reporting, the spending plan is on top of tax refunds heading to about 3 million state residents, the result of an obscure law that caps how much income tax revenue the state can collect in a given year.

There are key items that were omitted from the bill on top of tax cuts, including bringing back happy hour, and proposed $250 stimulus checks for some state residents.

Read more on the bill: What's In The $3.8 Billion MA Economic Development Spending Bill