Rep. Day, Sen. Lewis, and Mass. Legislature Pass Supplemental Budget to Fund Projects in Stoneham

BOSTON—State Representative Michael S. Day and State Senator Jason Lewis joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass a $1.56 billion supplemental budget primarily using Fair Share revenue from the state’s wealthiest earners to ease pressure caused by strained local school budgets and invest in education and transportation projects across the state, alongside new policy to lower housing costs and support immigrants.

In addition to the funding coming to Stoneham based on state-wide formulas, Representative Day and Senator Lewis successfully shepherded $400,000 directly to the Town of Stoneham in the final legislation. Representative Day filed and helped secure an earmark for $250,000 that will be used for pedestrian safety and sidewalk construction and repairs. He also filed and helped secure an earmark for $100,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Metro North for use on capital projects, including the Inspire Café program. Senator Jason Lewis filed and helped secure an earmark for $50,000 for materials, equipment, and capital improvements for Stoneham Public Schools.

“This bill once again shows the amazing success of the Fair Share Amendment in action,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “The legislature is providing cities and towns with increased funding to support their local budgets, equipping the MBTA with critical funds, and sending Stoneham $400,000 for local projects.”

“I thank Senator Lewis for his efforts in the Senate that helped secure the $400,000 in direct appropriations coming home to Stoneham in the final bill, which is one of the larger direct appropriations included in this bipartisan supplemental budget,” said Representative Michael S. Day. “These funds will support important local priorities, from improving pedestrian safety and accessibility through sidewalk construction and repairs to strengthening community resources for residents of all ages.”

The legislation increases local reimbursements for special education services, sends significant funding to cities and towns to help with the costs of major winter storms, cuts taxes to jumpstart housing construction, and supports the operation of the MBTA, including the low-income fare relief program.

State-wide highlights of the supplemental budget include:

• $595 million to the MBTA for operational funding, commuter rail improvements, and the low-income fare relief program.
• $152 million to municipalities to help with the cost of special education services.
• $150 million to support high-quality and accessible early education and care.
• $100 million to help towns and cities recover from an extraordinarily costly winter.
• $40 million for early literacy initiatives.
• $10 million to address Massachusetts’ shrinking primary care workforce through scholarships for UMass Chan Medical School students pursuing family medicine if they commit to remaining in Massachusetts and serving populations in need for five years after graduation.
• $10 million for the Tomorrow's Teachers program to encourage young educators to work in Massachusetts by investing in scholarships and loan forgiveness to educators who commit to teaching in Massachusetts public schools.
• $1 million to help public schools implement bell-to-bell cell-phone free school policies.
• $1 million for free legal defense services for immigrants (allocated from the state’s general funds), following the success of the legislature’s initial $5 million investment that created the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative.
• Incentivizing new affordable, moderate-income, and middle-income housing construction through a new targeted sales tax exemption for building materials in areas with the greatest need, designed to help offset rising costs driven by tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.
• Encouraging the use of sustainable aviation fuel through a new tax credit to help Massachusetts work toward its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

After passing in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, this legislation was signed into law on June 12, 2026 by Governor Maura Healey.