Legislature adds funds for prison mitigation, local rivers, and White Pond

The new state budget agreed to by the Senate and House includes several items of specific interest to Concord.

One provision provides funds to mitigate the costs the town incurs for providing fire, EMT, and other help to two state-operated correctional facilities in town. Concord’s State Senator Mike Barrett, D-Lexington, and State Representative Cory Atkins, D-Concord, pushed successfully for the measure, which stipulates that the several communities supplying such services to correctional institutions will divide $2.2 million in state appropriations.

“Town officials tell me how important this reimbursement is,” said Barrett. “I’m pleased the state is stepping up.”

The final budget also includes $50,000 to mitigate erosion at Concord’s White Pond. Barrett directed praise at State Rep. Cory Atkins for leading the effort to secure funding.

While local residents once enjoyed swimming, fishing, and other recreational activities at the pond, swimming on town-owned property has been banned in recent years.

A 2015 study of the pond’s environmental condition says that stabilizing areas of recurring erosion is a top priority. The study found “Eleven areas of significant erosion … adjacent to the White Pond shoreline” and said that “stabilization of these areas is recommended to prevent delivery of sediments and associated nutrients.”

The funds adopted by the Legislature would be used to stop such erosion.

“I am delighted we received funding for both Watershed Management for our local rivers and White Pond Mitigation,” said Rep. Atkins. “This is great news for Concord, especially in a tight budget, that we were able to get these passed.”

Thanks to Barrett, the Legislature included in its budget funding to test the water quality of local rivers -- the Assabet, the Sudbury, and the Concord -- all of which run through Concord.

Barrett originally managed to insert the $25,000 amendment into the Senate budget. Currently, the waterways fail to meet certain quality benchmarks set by state and federal law.

“These rivers are treasures -- hot spots for local recreation and storied settings for Massachusetts history,” Barrett said. “In 1999 the federal government designated parts of the waterways as ‘wild and scenic’ for their ecological features and cultural importance. As it happens, they’re the closest ‘wild and scenic’ rivers to a major metropolitan area in the entire U.S.”

Barrett commended OARS, the local community organization expected to do the water quality testing. “OARS does the heavy lifting of organizing volunteers to wade into local rivers to gather samples for testing,” he said.

“There is much work ahead to ensure that the rivers become ‘fishable and swimmable’ and remain healthy in the face of climate change and stormwater pollution,” said Alison Field-Juma, Executive Director of OARS. “My thanks to Sen. Barrett for pushing the funding along.”

On matters of statewide interest, Barrett reports that the upcoming fiscal year budget includes funds for several programs to help people living in especially difficult circumstances.

One initiative, run by the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, aims to prevent troubled young people from re-entering the juvenile justice system. Back in May, the Senate first adopted an amendment, offered by Barrett, for $500,000 for the Corps’ Detention Diversion Program.

“Programs that keep kids out of lock up make a difference,” said Sen. Barrett, D-Lexington. Even a short time spent in juvenile detention damages educational and job prospects. RFK provides 24/7 case management for kids while they await trial, including coordination with probation staff, curfew checks, and weekly family check-ins.

“I see the effects of detention on the lives of children all the time,” said Dorchester Juvenile Court Judge Leslie Harris, Ret. “This is the only program in the Massachusetts courts that addresses the problem.”

A second measure adds funds for the Secure Jobs Initiative, which connects low-income parents in homeless shelters and emergency housing to job training and job placement services, including follow-up support for a full year.

“All the hurdles have not been cleared,” Barrett said. “Given the state’s pinched fiscal situation, the money is at some risk of a gubernatorial veto, or even later in the process gubernatorial impoundment. We’ve made great progress. But this is not yet a done deal.”

Barrett said the state budget “still falls short of where we need to be” in terms of help for the most vulnerable. He favors a progressive income tax to boost funding for much-needed services, such as transportation and education. But because instituting a progressive income tax requires a change to the state constitution, the question must first go before voters in 2018.

The Senate budget also includes:

· $4.63B for Chapter 70 education funding, a $116.1M increase over FY 2016 to allow for an increase for every school district;

· $14.1M for local Councils on Aging, increasing the formula grant to $10 per senior per year and strengthening local senior center community programming and services; and

· $139.2M in total funding to fight the opioid epidemic, an increase of $23.6M over FY2016 spending.

Now that the Senate and House have reached an agreement, the budget goes to the Governor’s desk.