HUMASON AND HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS FIGHTS TO SEND MORE LOCAL AID BACK TO CITIES AND TOWNS

Offered proposal to send $230 million more to communities

 

In an effort to give significantly more financial help to struggling communities, Don Humason, Jr., Westfield’s State Representative, and his House Republican colleagues offered a proposal today to send $230 million more in local aid back to cities and towns.

The proposal, offered as an amendment to a local aid resolution crafted by Democratic leaders, would have given local communities 40 percent of whatever the state takes in from the sales tax, personal income tax and corporate excise tax.

The amendment was overwhelmingly rejected by the Democrat-controlled House.

“I am extremely disappointed that my fellow House members did not see the merit in sharing some of the state’s wealth with local communities,” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones, R-North Reading. “The House missed a big opportunity today to do better by cities and towns.”

“Our cities are where the rubber meets the road as far as most government services people use are considered,” Humason said.  “From fire and police protection to trash collection, road maintenance, and water and sewer services, I think it is vitally important that Beacon Hill send more money back to the local level where the average citizen has the most control and the services do the most good.”

The local aid resolution debated today increases local aid to cities and towns by $235 million over last year. Although that number is higher than the amount Governor Deval Patrick proposed in his own spending plan, 80 communities got less under the House plan than they did under the governor’s plan.

The Republican caucus offered an amendment to restore aid to those 80 communities, but that proposal was also rejected.

“Under the joint local aid resolution passed today by the House and Senate, Westfield will receive $32,840,745 in Chapter 70 school aid in the Fiscal Year 2008 budget set to be unveiled next Wednesday,” Humason said.

“This is an increase of $107,135 over what Governor Patrick proposed in his House 1 budget and an increase of $939,436 over what Westfield’s schools received in this current fiscal year.  Lottery aid remains the same at $7,835,094.”

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