MA Senate Passes Fiscal Year 2019 Closeout Supplemental Budget of $779.8 Million

Senate Passes Fiscal Year 2019 Closeout Supplemental Budget of $779.8 Million

The Senate proposal boosts Rainy Day Fund by $356M

The Massachusetts State Senate passed a $779.8 million closeout supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2019 today, after adding $8.9 million during floor debate. It also includes a transfer of $356 million to the state's stabilization fund, thereby continuing to build the Commonwealth's Rainy Day Fund and placing the state on firmer financial footing.  At approximately $3.2 billion, the fund would reach its highest level to date. 

"I'd like to thank the Senate Chair of Ways and Means, Senator Rodrigues, for his leadership throughout the 2019 fiscal year budget process, and thank all of the Senate members for their thoughtful contributions to this final closeout supplemental budget," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "I am proud of the commitment to education funding, early voting, transportation improvements, community-based Family Resource Centers, workforce development and public health that this supplemental budget represents."

"With today's passage of this supplemental budget, the Senate is responsibly closing the books on Fiscal Year 2019," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.  "While bolstering our Rainy Day Fund, we make a number of meaningful investments to increase educational opportunity, improve our state's aging infrastructure, confront worsening congestion, reduce our carbon footprint, and address public health issues relative to Eastern equine encephalitis and toxic PFAS chemical contamination."

The Senate's supplemental budget furthers the chamber's commitment to ensuring all children have access to greater educational opportunities. Consistent with the Senate's long-standing support of increased investments in education, the supplemental budget dedicates $50M to fund educational programming costs associated with the Student Opportunity Act. In addition to increasing educational opportunities, the Senate's budget ensures student safety and mental well-being through separate $10M investments in both school behavioral health services and enhanced public school safety and security measures, respectively. Additional education investments include:

·         $30M for targeted assistance for school improvement

·         $20M for the Endowment Incentives Program for public higher education institutions to provide an incentive for campuses to leverage private contributions

·         $10M for campus safety and security infrastructure grants to institutions of higher education

·         $5.1M to assist school districts with regional school transportation costs

·         $2M for special education circuit breaker reimbursements

·         $1M in rural school aid

The Senate's closeout budget makes a number of targeted investments to help communities update aging transportation and water infrastructure, and improve public health.  The supplemental budget invests $60M in Chapter 90 funding to support improvements of local roads and bridges. It also provides $5M for a new pilot program to tackle increased traffic congestion, which is currently threatening quality of life and access to jobs. Additional investments to support our communities include:

·         $50M for the MBTA capital acceleration program

·         $35M for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust to help finance improvements to local water systems

·         $28.4M for targeted per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination remediation of public water supplies and ongoing monitoring

·         $5M for culvert and dam repairs

·         $5M for costs associated with mosquito spraying to reduce the risk of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE)

·         Authorizes $5M in grants for de-leading projects at early education facilities, childcare centers and elementary schools

The Senate's budget addresses the pressing issue of climate change by investing $5M for a program to provide consumer rebates and other economic incentives to reduce carbon emissions. In addition, the proposal dedicates the use of $32M in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) funds per fiscal year to promote the purchase and lease of electric vehicles, and to support the Green Communities program through December 31, 2021.

Finally, the supplemental budget reinforces the Senate's belief that voting is key to a healthy democracy by authorizing an early voting period for the 2020 presidential primary, to begin on Monday, February 24, 2020 and end on Friday, February 28, 2020. It also funds $1.25M for early voting implementation.

Other Notable Spending Items

The supplemental budget passed by the Senate today commits $3M to bolster a network of community-based Family Resource Centers that offer a wide range of family, child, and community based services. It also provides an additional $3M for grants to support the agriculture, commercial fishing and cranberry growing industries, vital components of the Commonwealth's economic fabric.

Finally, recognizing the need to prioritize public safety and raise awareness about incidences of hate, the Senate's closeout budget provides $1M for a statewide grant program to secure non-profit institutions at risk of terrorist attacks, and $400,000 for a new statewide grant program focused on the prevention of hate crimes in public schools.

The closeout supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2019 passed by the Senate also includes:

·         $20.5M for the Chapter 257 rate reserve to support workforce development in the human services sector

·         $16.4M for program and facility improvements related to section 35 of chapter 123 civil commitments

·         $16.3M for the Safety Net Provider Trust Fund

·         $10.1M for homemaker and home health aide rate add-ons

·         $10M for the creation of extremely low-income housing units through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund

·         $9.9M for nursing home facility rates

·         $8.7M for National Guard tuition and fee waivers

·         $5.7M for the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), including $3.8M to provide representation in underserved parts of the Commonwealth

·         $5M for gun violence prevention grants

·         $4M for Regionalization Incentive Grants

·         $3.4M for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund

·         $1.25M for Early Voting

·         $630K for Mass Rehabilitation Commission assistive technology

·         $195K for shark tagging and monitoring in the Cape Cod region

In addition, the supplemental budget authorizes the growing of hemp on Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) land. 

The Senate's Fiscal Year 2019 closeout supplemental budget will now be reconciled with the House's version, which was passed last week.

FHS Senior Video 2019 on YouTube

The FHS Senior Video is now available




Or use this link https://youtu.be/SuH6ZKDZRP4

Finance Committee - Agenda - Jan 8, 2019

The next Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 8 at the Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street, Franklin, MA 02038.

This will be first of two meetings to review the Capital budget. You may recall that these capital budget hearings are usually held in November/December. The hearings are late this year as the State was late to certify the free cash total for Franklin.

Free cash is neither free nor cash. It is the accounting result of under spending what was authorized for the prior year's budget expenses, and receiving more revenue than had been forecast in the FY 2018 budget. 

Franklin has historically used the free cash amount to build the individual stabilization funds (general, recreation, fire truck, etc.) and to fund the capital needs for the Town departments.


Capital budget presentations are scheduled from

• Fire
• Police
• Public Works
• Sewer Enterprise
• Water Enterprise

On Tuesday, Jan 15, capital budget presentations are scheduled from

• Schools
• Facilities
• Technology
• Recreation

After hearing all the presentations, the Finance Committee will vote to recommend some or all of these (with or without modifications) to be brought to the Town Council for their review and vote.

The complete agenda documents for the Jan 8 and 15 meetings can be found on the Town of Franklin pages

Jan 8
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/2019-01-08_finance_committee_agenda.pdf

Jan 15
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/2019-01-15_finance_committee_agenda.pdf

Finance Committee - Agenda - Jan 8, 2019

Live reporting: Finance Committee - Oct 16, 2018

Present: Smith, Fleming, Conley, Dowd, Dufour, Dewsnap, Moss, Weich 
Absent: none (one open slot)


1. Call to Order

2. Vote for Officers
motion for M Dufour for chair, seconded, passed 8-0
motion for B Dowd for Vice Chair, seconded, passed 8-0 
motion for G Conley for Secretary, seconded, passed 8-0

3. Approval of Minutes
motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0

4. Citizen’s Comments
noe

5. Memo: New format for Finance Committee Recommendations
trying to synchronize the processes so the Finance Committee will see what the Town Council sees

6. FY19 Budget Adjustments and Transfers; Town Administrator, Community Development,
Police, Fire, MECC and Roads


revenue came in higher than forecast
consolidation among departments operationally
move Maxine downstairs to make it easier for passport processing, some funding moving to accommodate the move

Norfolk construction delays for regional center
affects us for 3 additional months
need 28K additional for Police, 70K for Fire

Tri-County approached with offer for half time resource officer
to hire someone in January for the spot, 46K will be clothing, training, etc.
half an officer for half the pay

lots of retirements within Fire Dept
soon to be five vacancies
OT costs ups, due to some overlap on training and backfills for vacancies
may not be back to staff until March or so
also two folks on long term disability

would like to put 600K for streets, drainage, etc. 
we're going to ask for 39M but decided to start with 600k
referenced the DPW road report just released

looking to put more in General Stabilization account to get close to the percent target

still leaves about 400K in the debt stabilization account

siding and paint for the museum, except for the cupola on the top it will look good
trying to get some professional guidance to outline what needs to be done

decreasing the use of reserves

Council would need to approve a home rule change to move the Fire Dept out of Civil Service
it is a flexibility issue, existing folks would get grandfathered and new folks coming in would be; opens up who can be brought in; no difference in benefits, all under the collective agreement

word of mouth got 16 candidates to line up for Franklin to choose from
Franklin will hire five additional officers with no increase in budget
pay schedule is the same for all, some may be on different steps

we had some one retire and we found out when the retirement board called us

road work integrated with water program
more proactive with the sealing, chip sealing, overlay
the street report will be published soon

surprising to find 2600 parking spaces on the lots we own, not street spots

town unaccepted vs. accepted roads
some old subdivisions that never completed going through the process to turn over from the developer to the Town
title work required

if it is unaccepted, we can't rebuild the road, the town doesn't own the street. they can fix the water, sewer and some potholes
trying to get the ownership resolved 30-40 years later is a problem, legal issues
trying to knock of 5, 6 or ten a year

we can fix water as we own that, we can do potholes as it is de minimis

motion to approve 18-59, seconded, passed 8-0
motion to approve 18-60, seconded, passed 8-0
motion to approve 16-61, seconded, passed 8-0

7. Stabilization Fund Appropriation and Transfer
8. Capital Appropriation of Roads: Earmarking of Hotel Excise Tax


9. Risk Management Study Update
anticipate report coming back in November
few issues, most of documentation missing, work being done
will present to you and to Council

10. School Van Update
buy a new van instead of spending 225/day, bill coming due in November, should use 'free cash' to allocate for this once certified
possible to be north of 3M for 'free cash' number this time around, right in the range where we have been

11. FY19 Capital Update
Nov 9 capital plans due from Depts, aiming to have done by Thanksgiving
trying to get ahead of it so it doesn't get in the way of the operating budget and then it is a negotiation year with all the union contracts

12. FY20 Budget Update
budget due at end of calendar year from Dept, spend Jan/Feb crunching numbers
pension number from County with assessment number already in hand
health plan hardest to get a solid number, should be middle of March to be ready

13. Water Infrastructure Update
will need some money to close out this 5 year plan, also working on the next 5 year plan; looking for the Council to adopt a plan so we'll have a plan across the board for water and roads with capital requirements

14. Adjournment 

motion to adjourn, seconded, passed 8-0


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qmHnqAbn7Jh6yi24WN9IOrN8IHmzNAMo/view?usp=sharing

MassBudget: Summary of the Governor's vetoes to the FY 2019 budget

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. July 27, 2018 Summary of the Governor's vetoes to the FY 2019 budget Yesterday the Governor signed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 state budget, setting spending levels (subject to override) for education, local aid, transportation, environmental protection, supports for lower-income working families, access to health care, and everything else we do through government. The Governor approved approximately 99.9 percent of the Legislature's budget proposals, making $48.9 million in vetoes. The Governor also proposed amendments to 12 of the 110 outside sections in the budget. Outside sections are legislation included in the budget. Often they amend laws that relate to expenditures in the budget. When the Governor proposes an amendment to an outside section the provision is returned to the Legislature. The provision then does not become law unless it is re-enacted by the Legislature (with or without amendment) and not vetoed by the Governor, or a veto is overridden. The paragraphs below describe many of the Governor's vetoes and proposed amendments. The charts at the end of this email provide a complete summary of the vetoes and total spending levels by category after accounting for vetoes. For a full description of the budget line items that had been resolved by the Conference Committee, see our recent Budget Monitor. EDUCATION The Governor vetoed $200,000 from Assessment Consortium, a program that supports the development of alternative assessments of student educational performance, including measures beyond standardized tests. ENVIRONMENT and RECREATION In parks and recreation, the Governor vetoed $4.2 million of funding to various Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) programs. Of this, $3.9 million was for the new DCR Special Projects account, which the Legislature's budget created. This includes funding for parks and recreation project around the state. HEALTH CARE The Governor vetoed $11.8 million of a $14.8 million earmark intended for supplemental payments to increase the rates paid to specific hospitals to support their increased costs for specialized pediatric care. The Governor leaves $3.0 million earmarked for any pediatric specialty unit. The Governor also eliminates $1.0 million for the development of a regional hospital system Western Massachusetts and $4.0 million to increase rates for adult day health and adult foster care programs. The Governor also proposes changing an extension of a manufacturer's drug rebate program from two years as in the Legislature's budget to one year, and proposes language that the Health Policy Commission analyze its effectiveness. HUMAN SERVICES In transitional assistance, the Governor proposed an amendment to provisions the Legislature included in the budget to remove a restriction that bars families from receiving Department of Transitional (DTA) benefits for a child conceived while the family was receiving public assistance. In his amendment, the Governor proposes language to count adult social security income when determining eligibility and benefit levels for Transitional Aid for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC). This new criterion could result in benefit cuts for almost 7,000 children. INFRASTRUCURE, HOUSING and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Governor vetoed $10.0 million from economic development accounts. Of this, he vetoed $2.1 million from the Legislature's Massachusetts Cultural Council proposal and $6.9 million from local economic development programs. The Governor also vetoed $50,000 in funding to reinstate the Massachusetts Office of Employee Involvement and Ownership. In housing, the Governor vetoed $110,000 in proposed funding for the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Administration account. He also struck line item language that would have required DHCD to staff and maintain 10 offices around the state to accept in-person applications for the Emergency Assistance shelter Program. Instead of the pilot program proposed by the Legislature to experiment with reducing traffic congestion by providing toll discounts to drivers traveling at off-peak hours, the Governor proposes a study of ways to reduce traffic congestion. The Governor proposed an amendment to the requirement for a new Massachusetts Department of Transportation study of how the MBTA currently sets commuter rail fares to inform future fare-setting policy so that the study of using variable pricing based on time of day also examine how options would affect fare revenue. The Governor would also delay release of the report a year to make use of newly available data. The Governor vetoed $817,000 in funding for the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund (MTTF) by eliminating virtually all spending targeted to specific local transportation projects. LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY The Governor vetoed $7.5 million from the Legislature's FY 2019 for law and public safety accounts. Of this amount, the Governor vetoed $2.5 million from the Legislature's Community Based Re-entry Programs proposal, aimed at reducing recidivism. Another $3.1 million of the Governor's vetoes were from local public safety agencies. LOCAL AID The Governor vetoed $1.3 million from the Municipal Regionalization and Efficiencies Incentive Reserve by eliminating funding for targeted local projects. REVENUE The Governor proposed an amendment to the Legislature's structure for a process to examine, evaluate, and report on the administration, effectiveness, and fiscal impact of tax expenditures. The Legislature had located this function in the Department of Revenue and the Governor's proposed amendment would instead create a new standing commission for this purpose. The Governor proposes transferring up to $10 million in consolidated net surplus, if such a surplus exists at the end of the budget year, to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Investment Fund. This is in addition to the similar $10 million transfer of consolidated net surplus to the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund proposed by the Legislature. For a full description of the budget line items that had been resolved by the Conference Committee, see our recent Budget Monitor.  The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

Franklin Residents: Notice from the Treasurer/Collector regarding FY19 Utility Bills

Attention all Residents/Customers who have received their Fiscal Year 2019 Utility Bills, the charges were calculated using the "new" rates. 

However, the old rates were printed on the bills under "Special Message" in error. If you have any questions, please contact the Treasurer/Collectors office at 508-520-4950.

We are sorry for any inconvenience.

Notice from the Treasurer/Collector regarding FY19 Utility Bills

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
http://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/notice-treasurercollector-regarding-fy19-utility-bills

MassBudget: Budget Monitor Conference Preview

Differences between the Senate and House budgets for FY 2019

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. June 6, 2018 Budget Monitor Conference Preview: Differences between the Senate and House budgets for FY 2019 The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center's latest Budget Browser highlights several of the substantial differences between the House and Senate budgets that the Legislature's Conference Committee will have to reconcile. Education. Both branches made targeted new investments in education: the House proposed larger investments in early education and care, focused on quality, and the Senate proposed greater funding for local K-12 public schools. Neither branch proposed significant increases in higher education funding, continuing a pattern that has led to rising student costs and debt. The Senate includes a new provision, prompted by the sudden Mount Ida College closure, that requires a college to give 120 days' notice to the Board of Higher Education (BHE) if it plans to shut down. Housing. The House proposes $5.0 million for a new program to provide flexible funding to help individuals who are homeless to move into housing and $100.0 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), $2.5 million more than the Senate. But the House provides significantly less funding than the Senate for the Emergency Assistance account that provides shelter for low-income homeless families. The Senate creates a new $2.7 million program to retrofit or create affordable housing for renters with disabilities. The Senate also proposes increases in Registry of Deeds fees to provide additional funding for the Community Preservation Act Trust Fund, which helps towns fund affordable housing, open space, and historic preservation. Health Care. The Senate budget includes a proposal-similar to one introduced by the Governor-to control costs of pharmaceuticals. It would allow the state to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers to obtain rebates for prescription drugs. The state could also impose a penalty against the manufacturer if the manufacturer were not to agree to a rebate and if the Administration were to find the manufacturer's prices excessive. The House budget includes more funding than the Senate's for pediatric hospitals, and for adult foster care and adult day health rates. Both the House and Senate proposals include an increase in the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Research has shown that-in addition to encouraging people to work and helping families to make ends meet-the EITC improves health outcomes for mothers and children, and boosts children's academic performance and lifelong earnings (see MassBudget's "A Credit to Health: The Health Effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit" for more information). Both branches also embrace a proposal by the Governor to increase funding for adult mental health services and to restructure and expand the primary adult services program. The goal of these reforms is to provide more coordinated, standardized, and consistent treatment that will better align with health care systems, and will be more comprehensive, particularly for people who also have substance use disorders. Our Conference Preview Budget Monitor describes major amendments adopted during the Senate budget debate and examines the differences between the House and Senate proposals. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

MassBudget: Budget Monitor Conference Preview