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Moore secures funding for district, approval
for vital commissions as Senate begins budget debate
May 23, 2007...The Senate officially kicked off debate today on the FY 2008 state budget. Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, sponsored several amendments to the Senate budget proposal that were approved.
“Today’s budget action is another clear example of the Senate’s commitment to the well-being of the communities in the Worcester and Norfolk District,” said Moore. “I’m proud that we secured vital funding for these towns and special commissions in the budget. The Senate is making significant investment in our economy and in our society that is crucial to stability and prosperity in Massachusetts.”
During the budget discussions, Moore secured amendments he strongly supported including:
- Electronic Health Records Commission. Establishes a commission to study the implementation of e-health records for children in foster care, those enrolled in MassHealth and SCHIP programs, and individuals enrolled in Commonwealth Care or safety net care programs. Electronic Health Records are proven to reduce medical errors and improve patient care. Their implementation within state sponsored health care would help control the Commonwealth’s health care costs and is something that the Commonwealth should implement.
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- Special Commission on Interior Renovation of the State House. Creates a commission to develop a renovation plan for the interior of the State House. It would consider the need for such renovations, logistics, cost, and financing options. The State House, one of Massachusetts’s most historic buildings. This amendment will ensure preservation of this building for future generations.
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- Streamline Sales and Use Tax Study. Directs the Department of Revenue to conduct a feasibility study and draft legislation to bring Massachusetts into compliance with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Project. The project’s goal is to promote uniform sales and use tax system throughout the United States. This would pressure Congress to make changes to the tax code so that states can collect the sales tax due to them from internet or "remote vendors".
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The Senate budget proposal contains several other provisions supported by Senator Moore including:
- UMass Memorial Payment Authorization.
Ensures that UMass Memorial has the funding it needs to continue meeting the health care needs of central Massachusetts.
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- Worcester District Attorney’s Office. $75,000 increase would increase the Worcester County District Attorney’s office by 3.31%, still a modest increase but again would help the Worcester DA maintain the staffing levels that he currently has, which are still inadequate to serve the needs of the fastest growing region of the Commonwealth.
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- Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. $200,000 increase will allow the corporation to expand its services to the indigent needing legal assistance across the state.
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- Drinking Water Equity Grant.
Extends the 10-year grants to 22 water districts that were established in 1998. This amendment would treat these 22 projects including Bellingham and Milford as if they received the subsidy through the loan program. It spreads the reimbursement over a 5-year period at an annual cost of around $7.5 million. With the approval of this amendment, Bellingham will save $90,467 and Milford save $37,931 annually.
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Among Senator Moore’s FY 2008 budget priorities that were included in the Senate Ways and Means Budget proposal released last week 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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- Health Care Quality
and Cost 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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The Senate will continue to debate the budget tomorrow. 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 visit Senator Moore’s website at
www.senatormoore.com/budget.
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