Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker released the budget proposal for the Fiscal Year 2017 Wednesday, which will invest $39.6 billion in education, workforce development and local aid without affecting taxes, according to a Wednesday press release.
In his announcement, Baker highlighted the need to allocate money in order to improve Massachusetts as a whole.
“This year’s budget sets the table for fiscal responsibility and a strong economic environment, without raising taxes or fees on our hardworking families,” Baker said in the release. “Our proposal makes targeted investments in transportation, education, the Department of Children and Families and fulfills our commitment to cities and towns to bolster local aid as we aim to make Massachusetts great in every community.”
Other key points of the FY17 budget include investing in organizations and programs that will help enhance the commonwealth’s various communities, further support the state public school system, battle the opioid and heroin epidemic through new funding of the Department of Mental Health, improve public transportation and increase aid for public safety support across the commonwealth, according to the release.
Barry Bluestone, a professor at Northeastern University who has worked closely with the governor on several public policy issues, expressed his excitement for the proposal.
“I was very pleased to see the governor add over the next five years over $80 million to vocational higher education,” Bluestone said. “That is particularly important here in the commonwealth, because we are going to need nearly 1.1 million replacement workers for so many workers who are retiring from all kinds of fields.”
Bluestone said Baker plans to significantly increase funding not just for vocational higher education, but also for transportation.
“He’s also putting more capital budget into our transportation infrastructure,” Bluestone said. “He’s going to fix what’s wrong by beginning to make some investments in transportation infrastructure, which we’re desperately going to need.”
The proposal also emphasizes the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund, or “rainy day” fund, which aims to maintain a strong reserve of money as a support for the state’s fiscal status.
Kristen Lepore, secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, said in the press release that the Stabilization Fund is essential in guaranteeing the stability of the commonwealth.
“The state’s long term fiscal health depends on the commonwealth getting to structural balance and our ability to put money into the Stabilization Fund while the economy is growing,” Lepore said in the release.
Bluestone said he agrees with the importance of the Stabilization Fund.
“It is critical, particularly when the economy is doing [as] well as it is now, that we make sure we maintain and even increase the Stabilization Fund, so when we have years in which our tax revenue declines, we don’t have to cut programs as much as the economy slows down,” Bluestone said.
Bluestone said the focus on increased funding and improvement of government agencies was a well-received aspect of the proposal.
“They’re really trying to make sure every government program we have is working as efficiently and effectively as possible,” Bluestone said. “I applaud the administration and cabinet.”
Several Boston residents shared what they believed to be most important to focus on in FY17.
Frank Lee, 75, of Back Bay, said in addition to the Department of Mental Health, biomedicine should be a focus in FY17.
“I think biomedicine is a good category to consider and invest in,” he said. “[Boston] is the leader of research, and it affects people who are in the most pain.”
Shannon Swan, 37, of South End, expressed excitement for the money being allocated for education.
“I’m really glad Gov. Baker wants to put so much money towards schools,” she said. “We need that, and it’s a good thing he’s making it a big part of the budget.”
Lynn Crisci, 46, of Back Bay, said she hopes Baker is giving appropriate attention to all the problems Massachusetts is facing.
“I mean we obviously always have problems with transportation, and schools always need money,” she said, “so I just hope he’s giving everything important equal attention.”
