Senate Budget Preserves Funding for Local Communities

The Senate yesterday passed a balanced and fiscally responsible budget for the 2012 fiscal year. A result of many tough choices and cuts, the Senate budget works to close the Commonwealth’s $1.9 billion budget gap and reflects the priorities of the Commonwealth.

Despite facing an unforgiving budget year, the Massachusetts economy continues to make gains and take steps out of the worldwide recession. In April, we reported a 7.8 percent unemployment rate, down from 8 percent in March and below the national unemployment rate of 9 percent.

We’ve known for the past three years that 2012 would be the most difficult year for state government due to the absence of federal stimulus funds that have helped fill the gap in previous years.

In a budget full of cuts, the Senate focused on providing and preserving important funding for essential services and programs in our local communities to help our cities and towns, schools and families.

The Senate budget identifies $1.3 million for the education “pothole” account, which will provide funding to the town of Bourne in their efforts to educate students from military families and the Massachusetts Military Reservation. Bourne provides high quality education for the children of military families, and this funding will fill the gap left by the federal government’s unmet commitment.

The importance of supporting our tourism industry can’t be ignored, and the Senate provided $6 million in funding for local tourism councils in its budget, which offers a 100 percent increase from the 2011 fiscal year. The tourism industry helps grow our economy and add new jobs to our Commonwealth. In the past, Cape Cod has been highly competitive in this process and has received a disproportionate amount of funds to support their regional tourism council.

The Cape Cod region receives $150,000 for the development of a wastewater build-out and cost analysis in the Senate budget. Wastewater is one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the Cape Cod region, and these funds will help ensure the quality of the water in our communities.

To maintain our nuclear monitoring programs, the Department of Public Health receives level funding at $1.7 million to conduct regular air and water testing to ensure the health and safety of local residents. As we continue to learn from recent events in Japan, it’s important to fund our nuclear monitoring programs to maintain the safety of our communities.

The Senate budget protects the in Plymouth from cuts in an effort to preserve veteran services. The Foundation provides counseling and transportation services to our veterans.

The University of Massachusetts Cranberry station, which works to maintain the cranberry industry and protect the environment in our Commonwealth, also continues to be funded in the Senate budget. Massachusetts is second in the nation in cranberry production, and it plays an important role in protecting and preserving our environment. 

The Senate budget provides the Boys and Girls Clubs in the Commonwealth with level funding at $1.3 million.

Reach Out and Read, a pediatric literacy intervention program, receives $800,000 in the Senate budget. The program provides children in Massachusetts with the basic language foundation they need to succeed in school.

The budget will now move to a conference committee with the House of Representatives to produce a final budget that will go the Governor for his consideration. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

For more information on the FY 2012 budget, visit http://www.malegislature.gov/Budget/FY2012/Senate