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Senate Budget recommendations hold tight fiscal line while meeting the needs of the Commonwealth
May 16, 2007...Today, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released a Fiscal Year 2008 budget that builds on the House and Governor’s recommendations while including Senate-authored initiatives to promote public safety, public health, economic development and education. Several of Sen. Richard T. Moore’s key budget priorities were included in the $26.67 billion proposal that will be debated by the full Senate next week.
“We have once again presented a budget that maintains fiscal responsibility and preserves the socially responsive values,” said Moore, D-Uxbridge. “The Senate continues to lead the way on critical issues including health care, education, housing and public safety. Even in these economic times, we are committed to providing essential resources for our citizens to live safe, healthy and productive lives.”
The Senate’s budget proposal provides an additional $220 million in education aid to cities and towns across the Commonwealth and fully funds the state’s new health care reform law that was co-authored by Sen. Moore. The budget recommendations bring Massachusetts closer to the goal of quality, affordable health care for all and will help to grow and stimulate the critical health care sector of our state’s economy.
Among Senator Moore’s FY 2008 budget priorities that were included in the Senate Ways and Means Budget proposal were:
- Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. $3,000,000 earmark that will be distributed to, among others, Blackstone Valley Boys and Girls Club, and Webster-Dudley Boys and Girls Club.
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- Foundation Reserve Aid (“Pothole” funding): $3.5 million to cities and towns facing extraordinary circumstances in their education budgets.
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- Regional School Transportation: $57.3 million for reimbursements to regional school districts for the transportation of students.
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- Extended Learning Time: $6.5 million increase to line-item to $13 million and fully funds extended learning time programs at 8 new schools and allow a number of other schools to continue planning for implementation, including Southbridge and Webster Public Schools.
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- Teen Pregnancy Prevention: The town of Southbridge will receive $50,000 from a FY 07 budget to expand their teen pregnancy prevention services.
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- Millville Elementary Water Contamination Remediation: $35,000 for expenses relating to mitigating contamination to Millville Elementary School’s drinking water supply and restoring supply to drinkable quality.
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- Violence and Hate Crimes Prevention Program: $150,000 to continue a grant initiated in FY 2007 to prevent violence and hate crime prevention program in the town of Southbridge. Since receiving an initial appropriation in the FY 2007 budget, Southbridge Public Schools and Police Department have collaborated on a series of innovative programs to offer youth alternative activities to violence, to educate them about the criminal justice system, and to bring students and their parents together to combat violence and hate crimes in the community.
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- Pediatric Palliative Care: $800,000 for the pediatric palliative care program established in section 24K of chapter 111 of the General Laws. The new health care reform law allocated $800,000 for this program. This request represents a $150,000 increase over this appropriation and would allow the program to continue serving children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
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- Pharmacy Outreach Program: $600,000 for the MassMedline Program, operated under contract with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, helps to enroll eligible seniors in Prescription Advantage and assists those who call the toll-free phone number with gaining access to free or low cost prescription drugs that are available from pharmaceutical company community benefit programs. Since its inception, it has saved consumers tens of millions of dollars.
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- Commonwealth Care Outreach: $3.5 million funding would enable community organizations, hospitals and health centers to provide much needed educational and enrollment services for the Commonwealth's new health reform law. 82,000 people eligible for Commonwealth Care have yet to enroll and thousands more will need assistance as the state continues to roll out Commonwealth Choice.
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- Universal Immunization Program: $48.7 million - Rotavirus Vaccine - $5.6 million; MCV4 - $4.3 million; Additional $2.3 million estimated need for annual price increases for vaccines currently covered.
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- Infection Control Program: $1 million to establish a hospital infection prevention and control program in the Department of Public Health. This funding would allow for the continuation of this program to assist health care facilities reduce their rate of Hospital Acquired Infections.
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- Cost and Quality Council: $1 million funding for the Council, established in the health care reform law, is necessary to enable the Council to collect information on the price of health care services and performance of health care provider and institutions that can be sued to set health care quality improvement and cost containment goals in the Commonwealth.
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In addition to Sen. Moore’s priorities, the committee’s recommendations include funding for the Commonwealth’s most critical issues. These investments include:
- $3 million increase in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) payments to communities, which is in addition to the $235 million agreed to in the local aid resolution;
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- $6.9 million increase for Kindergarten Expansion Grants;
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- $12.3 million increase for Special Education Circuit Breaker;
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- $1.7 million in new matching funds for workforce development and loan forgiveness program for primary care physicians who work at community health centers;
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- 5% increase in MassHealth programs such as the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program and the Healthy Start Program
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- $21.3 million for Community Policing Grants;
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- Full funding for the Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) Program;
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- $6.2 million increase for home care to allow an additional 260 nursing home-eligible elders to stay in their communities;
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- Continued funding for the Welcome Home initiative for veterans.
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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 2008 Senate budget, log onto Senator Moore’s website at
www.senatormoore.com/budget
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