Last week, Governor Patrick signed the state’s $34 billion fiscal 2014 budget into law, but imposed a massive $177 million veto in Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA), also known as local aid, as well as $240 million in transportation-related vetoes.
Because cities and towns cannot afford any cuts to local aid, my colleagues and I in the legislature will vote this week to override the $177 million local aid veto and maintain our commitment to local aid. Communities have set their budgets based on the local aid levels in the Legislature’s budget, and this veto will translate into fiscal distress for cities and towns. If this cut is imposed, communities will be forced to implement sweeping reductions in vital services, including police and fire protection, education, public works, libraries and much more. Cities and towns would lay off thousands of municipal and school employees, and increase their reliance on regressive property taxes.
The Governor’s veto would slash unrestricted municipal aid down to 1986 levels and create widespread fiscal distress in nearly every city and town. The veto would reduce direct local aid from the $920 million passed by the Legislature down to $743 million, a 19 percent cut that would also result in the diversion of $110 million in local Lottery funds away from cities and towns, and use those dollars to balance the state budget instead of funding local services, as originally intended in state law. If this veto is allowed to stand, communities will face an unexpected, undeserved and devastating fiscal crisis.
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The legislature will vote this week to override the $177 million local aid veto and maintain its commitment to local aid. The budget passed by my colleagues in the House and Senate addresses key transportation needs, provides funding to our municipalities and makes key investments in higher education and community colleges.
Please be assured that I will continue to fight to ensure that funding from the veto is reinstated so that all cities and town, including Waltham and Lincoln, receive their fair share of critical state aid.
