Category Archives: State

Medfield earmarks proposed

Posted on April 19, 2016 | Comments Off on Medfield earmarks proposed

State-House-smaller_1 (1)

Per an email from John Nunnari, Representative Shawn Dooley is asking for monies for Medfield in the state budget

  • to repair the West Street bridge to Millis, and
  • for a chest compressor for the MFD

Two amendments filed to the House budget and up for consideration during next weeks debate.

john

 

AmdID Amd# Sponsor Sponsor Title Amending DEP Description InstaTrac Summary Amount Requested Increase Earmark HFY16 Comment
2017H0306 306 Shawn Dooley Medfield Fire Department Purchase 8324-0000 DFS Department of Fire Services Administration Earmarks $15,000 to the Medfield Fire Department for the purchase of an automatic chest compression device and/or associated materials, and increases the item by the same amount. $20,799,781 $20,814,781 $15,000 $15,000 2016H0486 Amendment #486 in FY16, this item was excluded from a bundle in last year’s budget.
2017H0310 310 Shawn Dooley Maintenance of the West Street Bridge in the towns of Medfield and Millis 1599-0026 ANF Municipal Regionalization and Efficiencies Incentive Reserve Earmarks $1,000,000 for the maintenance of the West Street Bridge in the towns of Medfield and Millis, and increases the item by the same amount. $5,240,000 $6,240,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000

 

 

John Nunnari, Assoc AIA
Executive Director, AIA MA

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Posted in Fire Department, State, Uncategorized

House budget #s

Posted on April 14, 2016 | Comments Off on House budget #s

The House released its proposed budget numbers, and we do about $200,000 better than last year with their proposal.  The Governor gave us about $100,000 more than last year.  Usually our numbers do not go down, and the Senate which weighs in last often increases our total state aid.   The Governor did revenue sharing by increasing part of our state aid by the same 4.3% that the state’s revenues increased, and the House extends that 4.3% increase to more state aid items. I am not sure why our Charter Tuition Reimbursement has gone up so much on a percentage basis.

20160414-house budget

Below is the report and instant analysis from the MMA yesterday afternoon on the state budget as it affects municipalities.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE OFFERS $39.5B FY 2017 STATE BUDGET THAT MAKES KEY INVESTMENTS IN MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL AID
• INCLUDES THE FULL $42M INCREASE IN UNRESTRICTED MUNICIPAL AID (UGGA)
• INCREASES CHAPTER 70 BY $24M TO FUND MINIMUM AID AT $55 PER STUDENT
•ADDS A $10M RESERVE TO AID COMMUNITIES WITH LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
• ADDS $5M TO FUND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CIRCUIT BREAKER
• ADDS $1M MORE FOR REGIONAL SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION
• LEVEL-FUNDS MOST OTHER MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL ACCOUNTS

Earlier this afternoon, the House Ways and Means Committee reported out a lean $39.5 billion fiscal 2017 state budget plan to increase overall state expenditures by 3.3 percent. The House Ways and Means budget is $76 million smaller than the budget filed by the Governor in March, yet it also increases Chapter 70 aid by $24 million above the Governor’s recommendation by increasing minimum aid from $20 per student to $55 per student, and also includes a new $10 million reserve to aid communities impacted by changes in the calculations used to account for low-income students. The full House will debate the fiscal 2017 state budget during the week of April 25.

H. 4200, the House Ways and Means budget, provides strong progress on many important local aid priorities, including the full $42 million increase in Unrestricted General Government Aid that the Governor proposed and communities are counting on. The House W&M Committee would increase funding for several major aid programs, by adding $5 million to the Special Education Circuit Breaker, adding $1 million to Regional School Transportation, and increasing Chapter 70 minimum aid to $55 per student.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE YOUR COMMUNITY’S LOCAL AID AND PRELIMINARY CHERRY SHEET NUMBERS IN THE HOUSE WAYS & MEANS BUDGET, AS ESTIMATED BY THE DIVISION OF LOCAL SERVICES

$42 MILLION INCREASE IN UNRESTRICTED MUNICIPAL AID
In a major victory for cities and towns, H. 4200 (the HW&M fiscal 2017 budget plan) would provide $1.021 billion for UGGA, a $42 million increase over current funding – the same increase proposed by Governor Baker. The $42 million would increase UGGA funding by 4.3 percent, which matches the growth in state tax collections next year. This would be the largest increase in discretionary municipal aid in nearly a decade. Every city and town would see their UGGA funding increase by 4.3 percent.

CHAPTER 70 MINIMUM AID WOULD INCREASE TO $55 PER STUDENT
The House budget committee is proposing a $95.8 million increase in Chapter 70 education aid, with a provision providing every city, town and school district an increase of at least $55 per student. This is $24 million more than the recommendation in the Governor’s budget submission. The budget would continue to implement the target share provisions enacted in 2007. Because most cities and towns only receive minimum aid, this increase would benefit the vast majority of communities.

FUNDS A $10M RESERVE TO AID COMMUNITIES WITH LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
The House Ways & Means budget also includes a new $10 million reserve to aid communities impacted by changes in the calculations used to account for low-income students. This would supplement Chapter 70 distributions to address shortfalls in aid levels due to the new methodology used to count low-income students. DESE would administer this program, and make funding decisions by October 2016.

$5 MILLION INCREASE INTENDED TO FULLY FUND SPECIAL EDUCATION CIRCUIT BREAKER
In another victory for cities and towns, House leaders have announced that they support full funding for the Special Education Circuit Breaker program. Their budget plan would provide $276.7 million, a $5 million increase above fiscal 2016, with the intention of fully funding the account. This is a vital program that every city, town and school district relies on to fund state-mandated services.

ADDS $1 MILLION TO REGIONAL SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION
House Ways and Means Committee budget would add $1 million to bring regional transportation reimbursements up to $60 million. The MMA will work to continue building on this welcome increase.

FUNDING FOR CHARTER SCHOOL REIMBURSEMENTS INCREASED BY $5 MILLION, BUT STILL UNDERFUNDED
Under state law, cities and towns that host or send students to charter schools are entitled to be reimbursed for a portion of their lost Chapter 70 aid. The state fully funded the reimbursement program in fiscal years 2013 and 2014, but is underfunding reimbursements by approximately $46.5 million this year. The House Ways and Means budget would increase funding for charter school reimbursements to $85.5 million, a $5 million boost, although this is $15 million less than the amount recommended by Gov. Baker. The program is underfunded in both budget proposals, and increasing this account will be a top priority during the budget debate.

PAYMENTS-IN-LIEU-OF-TAXES (PILOT), LIBRARY AID ACCOUNTS, METCO, McKINNEY-VENTO, AND SHANNON ANTI-GANG GRANTS
The House budget committee’s proposal would level-fund PILOT payments at $26.77 million, continue to fund library grant programs at $18.83 million, level-fund METCO $20.1 million, and level-fund McKinney-Vento reimbursements at $8.35 million. All four of these accounts are funded the same in both the Governor’s and House Ways and Means Committee’s budgets. However, the HW&M budget would reduce Shannon Anti-Gang Grants to $5 million, a $2 million reduction.

Please Call Your Representatives Today to Thank Them for the Strong Local Aid Investments in the House Ways and Means Committee Budget – Including the $42 Million Increase in Unrestricted Local Aid, Providing Chapter 70 Minimum Aid at $55 Per Student, Funding the Special Education Circuit Breaker, and Adding Funds to Regional School Transportation

Please Explain How the House Ways and Means Budget Impacts Your Community, and Ask Your Representatives to Build on this Progress During Budget Debate in the House

Thank You!

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Posted in Budgets, Financial, Legislature, State, Uncategorized

Solarize Medfield! – town chosen

Posted on March 17, 2016 | Comments Off on Solarize Medfield! – town chosen

Marie Zack Nolan lead the Medfield Energy Committee effort for Medfield to be named to the one of the few Solarize Mass slots.

doer

State Energy Officials Announce New Communities to Join Solar Program

Media Inquiries

Katie Gronendyke (DOER) (617) 626-1129  katie.gronendyke@state.ma.us
Matt Kakley (MassCEC) (617) 315-9339 mkakley@masscec.com

Program Will Lower Costs of Installing Solar Electric Systems for Bolton and Medfield
Mar 17, 2016 –
Boston

State energy officials today announced the selection of two additional communities, Bolton and Medfield, to participate in Solarize Mass for 2016.  The community-based solar energy group-buying program is currently underway in Somerville, Natick and Shelburne, Colrain and Conway, with the latter three communities participating as a group.

“As Massachusetts looks to diversify its energy mix, partnering with local communities on programs like Solarize Mass drives down costs while reducing our carbon footprint and helping reach our goal of 1,600 megawatts of solar by 2020,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.

A partnership between the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and local communities, Solarize Mass reduces the overall cost of solar in communities across the state, helping residents save as much as 20 percent on solar pricing (compared to the statewide average).  Through a competitive bidding process, communities select designated Solarize Mass installers that feature the most attractive pricing, outreach and community education packages.

“Reducing the cost of solar makes the technology more affordable for homeowners across the state and DOER is proud to partner with these communities on this initiative,” said DOER Commissioner Judith Judson.

“Solar electricity provides environmental and economic benefits for homeowners and our communities,” said MassCEC Interim CEO Stephen Pike. “Solarize Mass makes solar electricity even more affordable and accessible for residents in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.”

Since its launch in 2011, 51 cities and towns have participated in Solarize Mass, which has led to the contracting of more than 2,600 new small-scale installations at homes and businesses resulting in 18 megawatts of contracted solar capacity. To date, systems installed under Solarize Mass have reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 1,500 cars off the road annually.

Massachusetts currently has 1,058 megawatts of solar capacity installed statewide, more than halfway to the Commonwealth’s goal of 1,600 megawatts installed by 2020 and enough to power more than 161,000 homes. MassCEC and DOER are currently accepting applications from communities interested in participating in the 2016 round of the Solarize Mass program. More information on the application process can be found here.

“I want to congratulate the town of Bolton on their participation with Solarize Mass,” said State Senator Jennifer Flanagan (D-Leominster). “Clean energy solutions are certainly starting to lead the way, and programs such as Solarize Mass are the perfect opportunity for communities to not only benefit from the cost effectiveness of solar, but to also get excited about clean energy in general.”

“The Town of Medfield has once again shown their commitment to forward-thinking cost-saving efforts for their citizens,” said State Senator Jim Timilty (D-Walpole). “There were many proposals for the Solarize Mass project submitted and I am thrilled that MassCEC and DOER saw fit to bring this important state program to my district.”

“I am proud to see that the Town of Bolton will be participating in the next round of Solarize Mass,” said State Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow). “Our region has long been committed to clean energy solutions and Bolton’s participation in this program will further increase local solar power opportunities. Thank you to all of the stakeholders, volunteers, and committed citizens who worked together to achieve this goal.”

“The Town of Medfield is a leader in its commitment to provide choice and opportunity to residents seeking a variety of energy sources,” said State Representative Denise Garlick (D-Needham). “This initiative aids the homeowner and also strengthens the Commonwealth’s environment and economic development through employment opportunities.”

“Medfield is excited to be selected for the next Solarize Mass program,” said Andrew Seaman, Energy and Facilities Manager for the Town of Medfield. “The Town has made great strides towards diversifying their electric supply by developing solar on Town land, and we are happy to have a similar initiative in place for residents to add solar to their property.”

“Bolton is delighted to be recognized as a Solarize Massachusetts community by MassCEC and DOER,” said Tony Jagodnik, Bolton’s volunteer solar coach. “We look forward to increasing education, awareness, conservation, and local adoption of solar via a best-quality and value group purchase for our homes and businesses, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making the grid more-robust for everyone.”

– See more at: http://www.masscec.com/about-masscec/news/state-energy-officials-announce-new-communities-join-solar-program#sthash.Q1dxGSjV.dpuf

http://www.masscec.com/about-masscec/news/state-energy-officials-announce-new-communities-join-solar-program doerdoer

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Posted in Energy Committee, State, Uncategorized

House budget

Posted on March 16, 2016 | Comments Off on House budget

This analysis from the Mass. Municipal Assoc. this afternoon of the budget we can expect soon out of the House, and what we should want it to contain.  The $100/children education funding versus the $20/student the Governor proposes is the biggest one for me.

MMA-2

 
Wednesday, March 16, 2016

HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE PREPARING FISCAL 2017 STATE BUDGET

UGGA, CHAPTER 70, AND KEY MUNI & ED ACCOUNTS AT STAKE

PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TODAY AND SECURE THEIR PLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE $42 MILLION INCREASE IN UNRESTRICTED MUNICIPAL AID, HIGHER CH. 70 MINIMUM AID, AND FULL FUNDING FOR KEY EDUCATION AND MUNICIPAL REIMBURSEMENTS AND GRANTS

The House and Senate budget committees have wrapped up public hearings on the fiscal 2017 state budget and are now drafting detailed spending plans that reflect the priorities of each branch. We know from our meetings with legislators that many of you have met with your legislators on local priorities for the many municipal and school aid accounts in the state budget.

With the House Ways & Means Committee’s version of the budget scheduled for release on April 13, it is imperative that you call your legislative delegation to highlight the importance of key local aid accounts before final decisions are made.

On February 29, MMA officers and other local officials testified on the many municipal and school aid accounts that the MMA tracks and supports. Please click here to see MMA’s detailed testimony. Please ask your Representatives to talk to the House Ways & Means Committee and ask that they support the main statewide priority accounts and your own local priorities.

UNRESTRICTED GENERAL GOVERNMENT AID (UGGA)
This is a top priority. Ask your legislators to support the $42 million increase in the Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) account included in H. 2, the fiscal budget recommendation submitted by the Governor in January. The UGGA account is currently funded at $979.8 million, and the 4.3 percent increase in H. 2 would simply track the growth in state tax revenues forecast for next year.

CHAPTER 70 SCHOOL AID
The Governor’s budget recommendation provides a far-too-small 1.6% increase in Chapter 70 school aid, which is much to low. Please ask your legislators to support funding increases for two key aspects of the Chapter 70 calculation for fiscal 2017. The first increase is to ensure adequate funding for the current basic school aid framework. The second is to begin implementation of the Foundation Budget Review Commission’s recommendations to correct outdated and obsolete aspects of the foundation budget framework.

MINIMUM AID SHOULD BE $100 PER STUDENT. Please support an increase in the “minimum aid” amount to $100 per student, instead of the $20-per-student amount in the Governor’s budget. This is an important way to offset the low inflation factor used to adjust foundation budget components for fiscal 2017 and to help correct the impact of the change in how low-income students are counted. We are also asking legislators to review how low-income students should be counted and added into the formula.

FLAWS IN THE CHAPTER 70 FORMULA SHOULD BE FIXED. Second, please ask your legislators to support the implementation of the Foundation Budget Review Commission’s recommendations to update the Chapter 70 “foundation budget” minimum spending standards for special education and health insurance costs for school employees, and to add to the spending standard a measure of recognition for the cost of services for low-income, English Language Learner (ELL) and other students who would benefit from more intensive services. The Chapter 70 framework is clearly outdated and inadequate, and the Commission’s recommendations would address the major shortcomings in the formula.

REIMBURSEMENTS FOR SCHOOL AID LOSSES RELATED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS
Please ask your Representatives to support full funding of the state’s legal commitment to reimburse school districts for the loss of a portion of their Chapter 70 aid that is redirected to fund charter schools. This is a growing financial burden on cities and towns that is becoming more acute as the state grants more charters and existing charter schools expand. The shortfall in charter school reimbursements is crippling funding for schools in scores of cities, towns and school districts.

SPECIAL EDUCATION “CIRCUIT BREAKER”
Please ask your Representatives to support full funding of the Special Education “Circuit Breaker” Program, through which the state provides a measure of support for services provided to high-cost special education students. H. 2 would level-fund the Special Education Circuit Breaker program at $272 million. This means that the Governor’s budget likely underfunds reimbursements by approximately $10 million.
PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TODAY TO SUPPORT THESE FOUR MAJOR MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL AID ACCOUNTS, AND DISCUSS OTHER LOCAL PRIORITIES

THANK YOU!

 
Massachusetts Municipal Association
One Winthrop Square, Boston, MA 02110
(617) 426-7272
All contents copyright 2015, Massachusetts Municipal Association

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Posted in Budgets, Legislature, State, Uncategorized

Community Compact

Posted on March 4, 2016 | Comments Off on Community Compact

Below are two communications from the state about our new community compact with them.  The state did budget some monies to go along with this effort of theirs, so we are getting a $30,000 grant towards the $80,000 cost to create a 20 year capital improvement plan, with the remainder coming from a town meeting budget item.

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March 4, 2016

 

Richard DeSorgher

Chair, Board of Selectmen

Town of Medfield

 

Dear Mr. DeSorgher:

 

Congratulations on entering into a Community Compact with the Baker-Polito Administration. Community Compacts create clear mutual standards, expectations, and accountability for both the state and municipalities as together we seek to create better government for our citizens.

 

We are excited to partner with Medfield as you implement your chosen best practices:

 

Financial Management/Capital Improvement Plan: The community develops and documents a multi-year capital plan that reflects a community’s needs, is reviewed annually and fits within a financing plan that reflects the community’s ability to pay.

 

  • Next Steps: The Commonwealth will provide Medfield with a Community Compact grant to hire a consultant to help with the development of a long-range comprehensive capital improvement plan. Pam Kocher from my office will be in touch regarding the grant process.

 

Technology – Transparency: There is a documented open data strategy including timelines for making municipal spending and budget information accessible from the city or town website in a machine readable and graphical format.

 

  • Next Steps: MassIT’s Office of Municipal and School Technology will provide technical assistance to support the Town’s initiative to increase transparency by presenting financial data on the Town’s website. Your contact is Michael Hamel (hamel@mass.gov), Director of the Office of Municipal and School Technology.

 

Technology – Citizen Engagement: There is a documented citizen engagement strategy for deployment of technology solutions, including a public communication strategy and a professional development strategy to ensure that internal resources can effectively engage with users via technology.

 

  • Next Steps: The Commonwealth’s MassIT Office of Municipal and School Technology will work with Medfield to develop policies and procedures that will allow the Town to effectively communicate out to the public, and a strategy to make public input a part of town culture. Michael Hamel is the contact for this best practice, too.

 

 

 

 

Sincerely,

Sean Cronin

Senior Deputy Commissioner of Local Services

 

 

 

cc: Pam Kocher, Director of Special Initiatives, Division of Local Services

Michael Hamel, Director of the Office of Municipal and School Technology

 

Dear Mr. DeSorgher:

 

Congratulations on entering into a Community Compact with the Baker-Polito Administration. Community Compacts create clear mutual standards, expectations and accountability for both the state and municipalities as together we seek to create better government for our citizens.

 

We are excited to partner with Medfield as you implement your chosen best practices. Please see the attached letter from Sean Cronin.

 

Our commitments include a Community Compact grant to hire a consultant to help with the development of a long-range comprehensive capital improvement plan.  We have budgeted up to $30,000 for this grant.  Please gather some cost information to help us determine the final grant amount and email it to me.

 

Here’s more detail about the grant process:

 

You will have until June 30, 2017 to complete the project.

The grant funds will be paid to the community in two installments:

75% of the total upon execution of the state grant contract;

25% of the total upon completion of the project and upon submission to the Division of Local  Services of a report certifying completion of the project and identifying how the results are being used (as opposed to just sitting on a shelf somewhere).

We can get the grant contract process started as soon as you provide some key information:

After we confirm the grant amount, you will be asked to provide a scope of work, a budget and a project timeline for this project.  (It’s fine if this is a couple paragraphs and not the multi-page detailed document a consultant might prepare as scope of work and agreement with them.) Please email this information to me.

Once I receive this information, I will prepare a state contract and grant agreement package for you to sign and return to me.  The contract will then be signed by the state and a payment of 75% of the grant amount will be made to your account.

Let me know if you have any questions about the grant process.

 

Regards,

 

Pam

 

Pam Kocher

Director of Special Initiatives

Division of Local Services

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

PO Box 9569

Boston, MA 02114

 

 

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Posted in State, Uncategorized

Municipal Modernization Bill status

Posted on February 17, 2016 | Comments Off on Municipal Modernization Bill status

State-House-smaller_1 (1)

Here is an email exchange that gives you the current status of the Municipal Modernization Bill from our State Representatives -interesting that it has been broken into five parts for hearing purposes –

 

Denise and Shawn,

I hope you will support the Municipal Modernization Bill – the Massachusetts Municipal Association was asking us today to contact you about it.  Thanks in advance.

Best, Pete

denise-garlick-state-representative-headshot

Dear Pete,

It has been broken into 5 parts and is being heard in 5 different committees. I believe this is with the intention to expedite  the components.

I will follow the pieces carefully.

Hope all is well with your family and Medfield!

Denise

 

Shawn Dooley

Hey Pete.

Already voted to accept the sections that were sent to Revenue so hopefully the rest of committees will follow as well.

Met with Chairman of ways and means earlier today and asked for the bills to be reconsolidated into one big bill again.  Non committal but expressed that the Lt gov asked for the same thing.

Thanks so much for the note.

Shawn

Shawn Dooley

State Representative, 9th Norfolk

Medfield, Millis, Norfolk, Plainville, Walpole, & Wrentham.

 

 

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Posted in Legislature, State, Uncategorized

Municipal Modernization Bill

Posted on February 16, 2016 | Comments Off on Municipal Modernization Bill

This today from the MMA on the Municipal Modernization Bill –

 

MMA-2

February 16, 2016

GOV’S MUNICIPAL MODERNIZATION BILL CONTAINS NECESSARY REFORMS AND IMPORTANT UPDATES FOR CITIES AND TOWNS

Please Call Your Legislators Today and Ask Them to Pass the Municipal Modernization Act Now

Legislative hearings have been completed on the sweeping Municipal Modernization Bill that Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito filed in December. Five different committees heard testimony from scores of local officials and stakeholders during the past five weeks, and the next step will be for the legislation to be reassembled into one strong package for votes in the House and Senate.

Because several of the important reform measures in the Municipal Modernization Act are opposed by special interest groups, your legislators will need to hear from you.

The Governor’s Municipal Modernization Act (H. 3905) features dozens of welcome reforms related to procurement, municipal finance, human resources, economic development and the general administration of local government. The bill was based on a wide range of input from local leaders, and is built around four major actions: 1) updating and repealing obsolete state laws; 2) promoting independence at the local level; 3) streamlining state oversight; and 4) providing municipalities with greater flexibility and day-to-day decision-making powers.

KEY REFORMS IN THE BILL INCLUDE:

  • Giving cities and towns control over the number of liquor licenses that can be issued to restaurants and bars in the community;
    • Enacting unemployment insurance reforms to prevent school crossing guards, school bus drivers, and others from collecting unemployment payments during school vacations;
    • Allowing cities and towns to decide whether to exempt positions from Civil Service;
    • Increasing procurement thresholds to eliminate unnecessary red tape and delays for simple purchases;
    • Certifying the full and fair value of property values every 5 years, instead of every 3 years;
    • Replacing many of the mandatory paid classified ads for zoning and other notices with electronic posting as used in the Open Meeting Law; and
    • Giving municipalities the ability to levy fines to enforce the requirement that utilities remove double poles within 90 days.

The bill includes over 200 provisions that would update and reform a wide swath of state laws governing everything from basic municipal finance and administration to allowing cities and towns a first option to purchase tax-exempt property, and was written based on suggestions made by local officials on ways to make running local government more efficient and less costly, and to return “home rule” authority to cities and towns where it makes sense. The bill includes a number of proposals from the MMA’s legislative package.

Information about the municipal modernization bill can be found on the MMA website by clicking here.

ASK YOUR LEGISLATORS TO PASS ONE STRONG MUNICIPAL MODERNIZATION BILL:

Earlier this year, legislators divided the Municipal Modernization Act into five smaller bills, and sent them to different committees for public hearings.

With public hearings concluded, it is now time to bring the parts back together into a single consolidated bill and make plans for debate and passage in the House and Senate.

With the end of formal legislative sessions only 5½ months away, there is no time to waste. Please call your legislators today and ask them to reassemble the Municipal Modernization Act into one strong bill, and ask them for a commitment to pass the bill early this spring.

When you speak with your legislators, please ask them to talk to the leaders in their branches (the Speaker of the House, the Senate President and the Chairs of the House and Senate Ways & Means Committee) and seek a commitment to take up and enact a consolidated bill before the session ends.

The Municipal Modernization Act Will Help Every City and Town

Please Ask Your Legislators to Make the Bill a Top Priority this Session

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Posted in Legislature, Massachusetts Municipal Association, State, Uncategorized

Mike & MMA on Gov’s budget

Posted on February 2, 2016 | Comments Off on Mike & MMA on Gov’s budget

MMA-2

First, the Governor is not signing on the the revenue sharing that the MMA has been seeking from the state, where the state commits to sharing its increased revenues with the municipalities.  At the MMA annual meeting just a week ago the Governor touted that he was increasing some component of state aid in accordance with the 4.3% projected state revenue increases, but Mike Sullivan noted that component is only a small part of our state aid, and that the same percentage increase is not applied to the major parts of our state aid, namely Chap. 70 monies for education, which Mike indicated were only going up about 1%.  Therefore,  the result is that the state is continuing to transfer the cost of delivering your local services that you get from Medfield to your property taxes, the town’s main source of revenues.

Second, this is the MMA analysis of Governor Baker’s proposed budget –

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

GOV. BAKER FILES $39.5B FY 2017 BUDGET

  • UNRESTRICTED MUNICIPAL AID WOULD INCREASE BY $42 MILLION (4.3%)
  • CHAPTER 70 AID WOULD INCREASE BY ONLY $72 MILLION (1.6%)
  • MOST OTHER MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL ACCOUNTS LEVEL-FUNDED

Earlier this afternoon, Gov. Charlie Baker submitted a $39.55 billion fiscal 2017 state budget plan with the Legislature, proposing a spending blueprint that would increase overall state expenditures by 3.5 percent, as the new Administration seeks to close a projected $635 million structural budget deficit by restraining spending across the board.

The Governor’s budget includes a $42 million increase in Unrestricted General Government Aid, and $72 million more for Chapter 70 school aid. Most other municipal and education aid accounts in the Governor’s budget proposal would remain at fiscal 2016 levels. This includes the special education circuit breaker, payments-in-lieu of taxes, regional school transportation, Shannon anti-gang grants, McKinney-Vento reimbursements and METCO funding. Kindergarten development grants would be level funded, with language to have the state develop guidelines to have recipients focus on early literacy outcomes.

The Governor would increase funding for charter school reimbursements by $20.5 million, yet proposes to revamp the reimbursement formula so that this increase would be targeted to those cities, towns and school districts whose charter cap exceeds 9 percent of net school spending because of underperforming test scores.

• Click here to see the UGGA and Chapter 70 Aid amounts listed by community in the Governor’s budget:
http://www.mass.gov/bb/h1/fy17h1/os_17/h3.htm

• Click here to see the Division of Local Services preliminary fiscal 2017 Cherry Sheet aid amounts for your community, based on the Governor’s proposed budget (you will need to insert the name of your community and “2017” in the fiscal year field):
https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/DLSReports/DLSReportViewer.aspx?ReportName=CherrySheetBudgets&ReportTitle=Cherry+Sheet+Budgets

• Click here to see DESE’s calculation of fiscal 2017 Chapter 70 aid and Net School Spending requirements for your city, town, or regional school district, based on the Governor’s proposed budget:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/finance/chapter70/chapter-17p.html

UNRESTRICTED MUNICIPAL AID INCREASED BY $42 MILLION
In a major victory for cities and towns, House 2 (the Governor’s fiscal 2017 budget submission) would provide $1.022 billion for UGGA, a $42 million increase over current funding. This fulfills one of Gov. Baker’s major campaign promises to increase direct municipal aid by the same rate of growth as state tax revenues.

The $42 million would increase UGGA funding by 4.3 percent. This would be the largest increase in discretionary municipal aid in nearly a decade. Every city and town would see their UGGA funding increase by this 4.3 percent growth rate.

CHAPTER 70 SCHOOL AID WOULD GO UP JUST 1.6 PERCENT
The Governor’s budget submission proposes a very small 1.6 percent increase in Chapter 70 education aid of $72 million, providing every city, town and school district with a minimum increase of at least $20 per student. The Governor’s budget would continue to implement the target share provisions enacted in 2007. The overall Chapter 70 increase would be significantly smaller than in recent years. Nearly 70 percent of cities and towns would only receive an increase of $20 per student under the Governor’s budget. This below-inflation increase is far too low, and would force communities to reduce school programs or further shift funds from the municipal side of the budget.

Please ask your Legislators to support a funding increase for Chapter 70 school aid that ensures that all schools receive a suitable and appropriate increase in fiscal 2017, which the MMA believes should be at least $100 per student. The MMA also strongly supports implementation of the recommendations of the Foundation Budget Review Commission to update the Chapter 70 “foundation budget” minimum spending standards for special education and health insurance costs for school employees, and to add to the spending standard a measure of recognition for the cost of services for low-income, English Language Learner (ELL) and other students who would benefit from more intensive services. The Commission recommended phasing in the changes over a four-year period, a position the MMA supports as well. Increasing minimum aid and fixing the inadequacies in the foundation formula are essential.

It should also be noted that House 2 contains language that would continue to allow communities to count retiree health insurance toward their net school spending, but only if they have done so beginning when the school finance law first went into effect in 1994, or if they have already voted to adopt the local-option provision in section 260 of the fiscal year 2015 general appropriations act to allow a phase-in of retiree health insurance costs in their net school spending calculation.

SPECIAL EDUCATION CIRCUIT BREAKER UNDERFUNDED
The Governor’s budget would level-fund the Special Education Circuit Breaker program at $271.7 million. Because special education costs are expected to rise by 3.5 percent in fiscal 2017, this means that the Governor’s budget likely underfunds reimbursements by approximately $10 million. This is a vital account that every city, town and school district relies on to fund state-mandated services. The Legislature has fully funded the program for the past four years, and the MMA will again be asking lawmakers to ensure full funding in fiscal 2017.

$20.5 MILLION MORE FOR CHARTER SCHOOL REIMBURSEMENTS
The Governor’s budget would add $20.5 million to charter school reimbursements, bringing funding up to $101 million. In fiscal 2017, all communities would receive 100 percent reimbursement for their increased charter school tuition payments above fiscal 2016 levels. For most communities, the current 5-year reimbursement schedule would be replaced with a one-year reimbursement of increased costs compared to the previous year. For underperforming school districts that have a charter cap that is higher than 9 percent of Net School Spending, the Governor is proposing a 3-year schedule, to reimburse those communities 100 percent in the first year, 50 percent in the second year, and 25 percent in the third year. Local officials will need to examine their own enrollment and tuition costs to determine how this new formula would impact them. The estimate of both the tuition amount and the reimbursement amount for each community are available on the Division of Local Services’ preliminary Cherry Sheets at the following link: https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/DLSReports/DLSReportViewer.aspx?ReportName=CherrySheetBudgets&ReportTitle=Cherry+Sheet+Budgets

REGIONAL SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION REIMBURSEMENTS LEVEL FUNDED
Gov. Baker’s budget submission would level-fund regional transportation reimbursements at the $59 million amount. This will be a hardship for virtually all communities in regional districts.

KINDERGARTEN GRANTS & McKINNEY-VENTO REIMBURSEMENTS LEVEL FUNDED
The Governor’s budget would level fund reimbursements for the transportation of homeless students at $8.35 million. With this amount of funding, the account remains far below the full reimbursement called for under the state’s unfunded mandate law. Kindergarten development grants would be level funded at $18.6 million, with language to have the state develop guidelines to have recipients focus on early literacy outcomes.

PAYMENTS-IN-LIEU-OF-TAXES (PILOT) AND SHANNON GRANTS LEVEL FUNDED, LIBRARY AID ACCOUNTS CUT $79K
The Governor’s budget would level fund PILOT payments at $26.77 million, Shannon anti-gang grants at $7 million, and fund library grant programs at $18.9 million, a reduction of $79,000.

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DLS maps

Posted on January 27, 2016 | Comments Off on DLS maps

DLS

The state’s Division of Local Services (DLS) is part of the state’s Dept. of Revenue.  DLS puts out the above named newsletter, but also publishes lots of data about municipalities.  The link below is to an interactive map that documents where we stand with respect to several metrics – population, taxes, % of residents, and % of commercial uses.

http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/dls/landingmap/

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Our state aid + 1%

Posted on January 27, 2016 | Comments Off on Our state aid + 1%

State-House-smaller_1 (1)

From John Nunnari –

Although I’m sure both the MMA and the Department of Local Services has already provided previews of these numbers, I’m passing this along in case you hadn’t seen the numbers released today by the Governor.

The Governor is proposing an additional $107K over last year, which is approximately a 1% increase.

john

 

 

Municipality/Regional District 7061-0008 Chapter 70 Unrestricted General Government Aid Annual Formula Local Aide
FY ’15 Actual Appropriation $5,862,409.00 $1,289,875.00 $0.00
FY ’16 Actual Appropriation $5,925,859.00 $1,336,310.00
Governors FY ’17 Proposal $5,975,759.00 $1,393,771.00 $0.00
Medfield (House FY ’17 Proposed Numbers) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Medfield (Senate FY 17 Proposed Numbers) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
FY ’17 Conference Committee Report           July +/- $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

 

 

John Nunnari, Assoc AIA
Executive Director, AIA MA

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Posted in Budgets, Legislature, State