“Once again, Governor Baker has delivered a spending plan
that is fiscally responsible and accountable to the state’s taxpayers and does
not rely on any new taxes or fees, or a draw-down from the state’s Rainy Day
Fund.
The Governor’s budget proposal reaffirms the state’s
commitment to our cities and towns by expanding local aid with a $72.1 million
increase in Chapter 70 education funding and a $42 million increase in
Unrestricted General Government Aid to support essential municipal services. It also makes significant strides towards
eliminating the state’s overreliance on one-time revenue sources to balance the
state budget, while committing additional resources to the state’s continuing
efforts to combat the opioid and heroin epidemic.
I look forward to reading through the budget for further
details on the Governor’s spending proposals.
However, my initial reaction is that he has provided the House with a solid
foundation and a sustainable blueprint to follow as we begin the process of
crafting a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2017.”
