Thursday, October 29, 2015
Senate Sends $327 Million Budget Balancing Bill to Baker
Funds Approved for Public Safety,
Public Health and State’s Financial Footing
Senators
voted Wednesday to adopt a budget bill which will fund shortages in major state programs
and services including initiatives for substance abuse prevention and treatment
and services for children and families. Lawmakers also directed $233 million
into the state’s so-called Rainy Day Fund and an account.
This
bill wisely closes the books on the last fiscal year by bringing resources to
bear on underfunded obligations such as those in public safety and confronting
opiate addiction and, most importantly it, moves us in the right direction by
putting surplus funds in the rainy day fund and using them to pay down existing
debt. Governor Baker began the 2015 fiscal year with a successful effort
to close a $1.8 billion funding gap, and now we are continuing to strengthen
the state’s financial position with strategic investments and captured
savings.t designed to pay down state debt.
The
bill, initially filed by Governor Baker in July, shores up deficiencies in the
2015 fiscal year budget, and funds expanded efforts to battle the state’s
ongoing opioid epidemic. Provisions of the bill include $27.8 million for
substance abuse treatment and prevention programs. This legislation contains
$1.2 million for a Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment for
substance abuse program in schools, and $3.8 million for substance abuse
counselors.
The
supplemental budget ends the fiscal year in balance and ensures a stable fiscal
position for fiscal year 2016. The $120 million deposit to the state’s
Stabilization Fund, or “Rainy Day Fund,” boosts the balance to approximately
$1.25 billion.
In
addition, the bill also:
·
Deposits $120 million into the Rainy Day
Fund,
·
Provides $113.2 million to pay off state
debt,
·
Provides $250,000 for a municipal police
grant program to purchase body cameras,
·
Provides $2.2 million to support
training and staffing needs at the Department of Children and Families,
·
Provides $1 million for training for
adoptive and foster families,
·
Provides $31.5 million for snow and ice removal
costs for Mass Department of Transportation,
·
Provides $21.7 million to close deficiencies in
ten Sheriff Departments,
·
Sets Thursday, September 8, 2016 as
the date for the state’s primary election,
·
Provides $3 million to fund Department
of Children and Families training services for foster families and adoptive
families and congregate care and adoption support services,
·
Provides $5.8 million to support a new
program at Taunton State Hospital for civilly committed women who would
otherwise receive treatment at MCI-Framingham.
The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
