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May 17, 2006 - Today, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released their fiscal year 2007 $25.4 billion budget plan that reflects the Senate’s focus on community, residents and the future of the Commonwealth. Senator Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge) requested several recommendations to the Senate budget proposal that were included.
“I’m proud that once again the Senate is appropriating funds that will positively affect the towns in our district, and communities across the state,” Moore said. “I am particularly pleased that our budget provides significant increases in local aid to cities and towns by reforming state aid to education, uncapping lottery revenue and increasing reimbursements to communities with state-owned land.”
The Senate’s budget proposals provides an additional $210.4 million in education aid to cities and towns across the Commonwealth and funds the state’s new health care reform law that was co-authored by Senator Moore.
Among Senator Moore’s FY 2007 budget priorities that were included in the Senate Ways and Means Budget proposal were:
Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. $3,000,000 for matching grants to boys’ and girls’ clubs, YMCA and YWCA organizations, nonprofit community centers and youth development programs. This funding will directly benefit the Webster – Dudley, Southbridge and Blackstone Vallye Boys and Girls Clubs.
Clara Barton Birthplace Museum Inc.: $100,000 for the museum.
Uxbridge Youth Center: $50,000 for youth counseling, GED/School-to-Career-Program, drug prevention, and at-risk youth services at the Uxbridge Youth Center.
Family Health Services: $9,406,787 to family planning clinics, rape crisis centers and primary care services for women and children. These appropriations will help fund family health services in Southbridge and Milford.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention: $2,000,000 in total funding. The town of Southbridge will receive $50,000 for their teen pregnancy prevention services.
School Health Services and School Based Health Centers: $16,730,544 to (1) strengthen the infrastructure of school health services in the areas of personnel and policy development, programming and interdisciplinary collaboration; (2) develop linkages between school health services programs and community health providers; (3) incorporate health education programs, including tobacco prevention and cessation activities, in school curricula and in the provision of school based health services; and (4) incorporate obesity prevention programs, including nutrition and wellness programs, in school curricula to address the nutrition and lifestyle habits needed for healthy development
Business Retention Program: $75,000 for a business retention program in the town of Millville operated by the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Draper Mill Re-Use Project: $25,000 grant to the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce to support the Draper Re-Use Project in the town of Hopedale.
Tourism Grants: $100,000 for the Southern Worcester Development Corporation, $50,000 to the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, $50,000 to the Polish Cultural Festival in Webster and $50,000 for an Irish Festival in Milford.
Violence and Hate Crimes Prevention Pilot Program: $150,000 for a pilot program Southbridge for preventing violence and hate crimes in Kindergarten though grade 8.
Workforce Development Initiative: $500,000 for the Massachusetts Nursing and Allied Health Workforce Development Initiative to develop and support strategies that increase the number of Massachusetts public higher education faculty members and students who participate in programs that support careers in fields related to nursing and allied health.
Worcester County Sheriff: $43,645,877 for the operation of the jail, house of correction and any other facilities under the administration of the sheriff of Worcester County.
Pharmacy Outreach Program: $600,000 for the operation of the pharmacy outreach program.
The Senate will debate the budget next week. Once passed by the Senate, a conference committee will resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions. The committee will then send a final version of the budget to the Governor to be signed into law.
For more information on the FY 2007 Senate budget, log onto Senator Moore’s website at
www.senatormoore.com/budget
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