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Senate Budget Day 2: Senator gets more results for district

May 24, 2007...Today, the Senate concluded debate on the FY 2008 budget by adopting several more of Sen. Richard T. Moore’s, D-Uxbridge, district and health care amendments.

“During these tough economic times, I am pleased that we were able maintain our commitment to our communities by presenting a fiscally responsible budget without jeopardizing our fiscal stability,” said Moore. The Senate proposal includes important priorities that will benefit the towns in the Worcester and Norfolk District and improve our health care programs.” 

During the budget discussions, Sen. Moore secured several provisions he strongly supported including:

  • Webster Lake Sediment Control. Provides $168,000 for sediment control in Webster Lake. Funding will be used to bring the drainage areas surrounding the lake up to today’s standards. This is the continuation of a sediment control and water program for Webster Lake. 
  • Blackstone Valley Tech Nursing Program. $50,000 for the planning and implementation of a post-secondary nursing program in response to the critical nursing shortage. The program would be conducted in partnership with Milford Regional Medical Center and Quinsigamond Community College.
  • Draper Re-use Committee Development Planning Grant. $15,000 for the continuation of a planning grant from FY 07 to assist the Draper Mill Re-Use Committee develop and execute a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the Draper Mill Complex – a sprawling 21 acre vacant mill complex in the center of Hopedale. The mill has been vacant for over 20 years and presently possesses a significant safety threat. Furthermore, the sheer size of the property means that any redevelopment will have dramatic impacts on all facets of town life.
  • Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra. $50,000 for the continuation of an earmark from FY 07 for the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra in Milford.
  • Milford Youth Center. $35,000 would allow for the continuation of a matching grant for the Milford Youth Center from the United Way of Massachusetts. The grant would be used to meet programming needs.
  • Boys and Girls Clubs. An additional $300,000 ($3.3 million total) for the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. This earmark will assist clubs across the state including those in Blackstone, Webster-Dudley and Southbridge. 
  • National Guard Tuition. This amendment ensures that the higher education tuition benefit for members of the National Guard will be administered as efficiently and effectively as possible. It simply moves the funding for this program from the Board of Higher Education to the state’s Military Division. 
  • E-Prescribing. Instructs the Department of Medicaid to apply for a Medicaid Transformation Grant to fund an e-prescribing pilot project within MassHealth. When implemented this grant would work to improve the delivery of health care to thousands of citizens on MassHealth and work to reduce their health care costs to the Commonwealth. Experts say that when fully funded, this program could save taxpayers more than $30 million. 
  • Money Follows Person Demonstration Grant. Directs EOHHS to apply for a federal "Money Follows the Person Demonstration Grant.” This initiative assists States in their efforts to reduce their reliance on institutional care while developing community-based long-term care opportunities, enabling the elderly and people with disabilities to fully participate in their communities. Although Massachusetts did not meet the first deadline for submitting a grant under this new federal program, grants will be accepted through 2011.
  • Health Care Quality and Cost Council. The Massachusetts Health Care Quality and Cost Council is responsible for collecting and publishing health care information for consumers on the internet. The Council is authorized to collect data from insurers and health care providers. The Council needs the authority to collect data from Third Party Administrators as well, because these entities administer the data for approximately half of all private payer health care claims.
  • Rate Appeals for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Rest Homes. Requires the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy to report to the legislature the number of payment appeals from long-term care providers that they currently have before them. 
  • Nursing and Allied Health Initiative. $500,000 increase to help the initiative to continue its work of ensuring that Massachusetts has enough highly qualified nurses to care for its population. 
  • 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 will help control the Commonwealth’s health care costs and will result in significant savings.
  • 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.
  • 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".

Other items supported by Sen. Moore that were included in the budget were:

  • Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Worcester. $25,000 increase to the Department of Veteran’s Services budget for the purpose of increasing the appropriation for the state-wide Vietnam 
  • Jobs or Bay State Graduates. $942,191 to the Jobs for Bay State Graduates, which offers networking and job placement services for schools and communities, has been earmarked in the school-to-work line-item for the last several years, but was not included in the Senate Ways and Means budget. 
  • 4-H Activities. Maintains $50,000 for 4-H activities through UMass Extension. 4-H clubs are located throughout the state, providing youth with the skills they need to be successful, both as children and as adults.
  • Division of Autism. $200,000 increase for the Division of Autism for assistance to those with autism and their families.
  • Bedside Advocates. $40,000 increase for a partnership and grant program with local hospitals for purposes of developing a Bedside Advocacy Program.
  • UMass Memorial Payment Authorization. Ensures that UMass Memorial has the funding it needs to continue meeting the health care needs of central Massachusetts. 
  • 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.
  • Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. $200,000 increase will allow the corporation to expand its services to the indigent needing legal assistance across the state.
  • 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.
  • Worcester County Registry of Deeds. $40,000 to the Worcester County Registry of Deeds to meet the needs of Worcester County.
  • Regional School Transportation. $1,000,000 to maintain regional school transportation for students to participate in extracurricular activities. This amount reimburses school districts for 90% of their costs, and puts the Legislature back on the path to 100% reimbursement in the next few years.
  • Foundation Reserve Program ("Pothole" fund). $2,000,000 to help schools that encounter exceptional financial challenges that may develop throughout the fiscal year. In FY 2007 Sen. Moore’s district benefited from this funding receiving nearly quarter of a million dollars. 

The Senate has concluded debate on it's version of the FY 2008 budget. A conference committee will now 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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