This is the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s alert about the Senate’s budget discussions –
SENATE TO BEGIN DEBATE ON THE
FY13 BUDGET BILL AND 694 AMENDMENTS
ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 23
PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY
On Wednesday, May 23, the State Senate will begin debate on the fiscal 2013 state budget recommendation released by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means last week. Budget debate should be wrapped up by Friday, May 25 at the latest.
Vital local aid decisions will be made in the Senate over the next several days, and we are asking local officials to contact their Senator(s) today to make sure that local aid and local government concerns receive the highest priority.
The Senate budget committee recommendation (S. 4) would increase municipal and school aid by $130 million above the amount proposed by the Governor in January (H. 2). The Senate Ways and Means proposal guarantees funding for unrestricted municipal aid at $900 million, adding $66 million to the base Cherry Sheet distribution; adds $180 million to Chapter 70 to guarantee $40 per student minimum aid for all cities, towns and school districts, and phase-in “target aid†in many districts; fully funds the SPED Circuit Breaker by adding $29 million to that account. These increases are great news and a clear sign of the strong commitment of the members of the Senate to local aid this year.
The Division of Local Services (DLS) has released updated preliminary Cherry Sheets for fiscal 2013 showing aid amounts for individual cities, towns and school districts based on the Senate budget committee bill. Local officials can view their preliminary Senate Ways and Means (SWM) Cherry Sheets at the following link: http://www.mass.gov/dor/local-officials/municipal-data-and-financial-management/cherry-sheets/2013-cherry-sheets/
Senate members have filed 694 proposed amendments on a wide variety of matters, including many that would impact local government. Most would add funding to local aid accounts or change state law to help cities and towns in other ways. Some proposed amendments would not be helpful and we will be asking that these be rejected. Debate will begin on Wednesday, May 23, and it is imperative that your Senators hear from you regarding these amendments.
PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY ON THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS – THEY MUST HEAR FROM YOU ON THESE KEY ITEMS:
SUPPORT COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT: The MMA SUPPORTS Amendment 62 to fund the Community Preservation Act (CPA) filed by Sen. Cynthia Creem and Minority Leader Bruce Tarr. The Senate Ways and Means budget already includes language to improve the CPA by allowing funds to be spent on existing recreational facilities, allowing non-property tax dollars to fund a portion of the local match (both changes are in the House-passed budget). This amendment adds the funding mechanism adopted by the House, providing for an annual transfer of $25 million from any end-of-year state budget surplus into the CPA Statewide Trust Fund rather than relying on an increase in the registry of deeds recording fees.
OPPOSE EARMARK TO FORCE 100% MUNICIPAL FUNDING FOR QUINN BILL: The MMA strongly OPPOSES Amendment 423 that would effectively reduce, earmark and divert Cherry Sheet Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) to pay the state’s 50 percent share of the Police Incentive Pay Program. The state has eliminated the appropriation for the state share. Under this amendment, the state’s share would be deemed to have been paid by using local funds, which would then force every participating city and town to appropriate a matching amount from local property taxes, completely undermining the recent SJC decision that determined that cities and towns do not have to make up or match the state share unless a local contract requires them to do so, and wiping out almost all of the $66 million increase in unrestricted municipal aid in the Senate budget.
OPPOSE HUGE EXPANSION OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND EROSION OF EXISTING MANAGEMENT RIGHTS: The MMA strongly OPPOSES Amendment 136. This measure would totally undermine existing management rights to appoint, promote, transfer and remove employees, especially in public safety, by overriding existing laws and making these decisions subject to collective bargaining and arbitration. The amendment would override state law and allow arbitrators and JLMC to impose contract provisions that reduce the ability of cities and towns to make basic hiring, appointment, transfer and removal decisions. This amendment would strip municipal executives, including managers, selectmen, mayors, and police and fire chiefs, of basic management authority that has existed in the law for decades. The House rejected a similar amendment.
OPPOSE A CHANGE IN THE MEMBERSHIP ON THE OPEB COMMISSION: The MMA OPPOSES Amendment 232. This amendment would make changes to the special commission established last year to study and make recommendations relative to Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB). The Commission currently has a balanced and well-qualified membership led by a very able chair that has already started its work. This amendment would lead to an unbalanced group and disrupt the work that is underway.
SUPPORT FUNDING FOR THE MCKINNEY-VENTO MANDATE: The MMA SUPPORTS Amendment 358 to add $11.3 million to fully fund the unfunded state mandate for homeless student transportation costs triggered by state acceptance of the federal McKinney-Vento Act. This section would provide the funding to cover the certified costs that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) would be required to determine through regulations under section 124 of S. 4. The House included the $11.3 million in its budget.
If you have any questions, please contact MMA Legislative Director John Robertson at jrobertson@mma.org or Legislative Analyst Catherine Rollins at crollins@mma.org or at (617) 426-7272. Thank you very much.
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