Sen. Moore Secures FY17 Budget Funding for Local Priorities

 
 

Dear Second Worcester District Residents:

Over the course of the past several months, the Legislature has debated and passed the final version of the Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) state budget.  I am proud to share that the budget provides targeted investments in many critical areas including local aid, substance abuse prevention and higher education.

In particular, the budget allocates $1.02B for Unrestricted General Government Aid, an increase of $42.1M over the FY 2016 funding level.  Moreover, the budget recommendation provides $4.63 billion for Chapter 70 funding which marks a $116 million increase over FY16 and an increase of $55 per pupil in minimum aid.  You may be wondering how this benefits you and your neighbors.

In short, these substantial increases in local aid result in millions of additional dollars for communities in the Second Worcester District, which will help to relieve some of the financial burdens faced by municipal officials, and ultimately local taxpayers.  Seniors in the community may also be interested to know that the budget provides $14.1M for local Councils on Aging which increases the formula grant to $10 per senior.

As Chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, I am particularly proud of this year’s targeted investments to support the Commonwealth’s network of higher education institutions.

As a Commonwealth, we have made important strides in the ongoing battle to curtail the opioid epidemic, and this FY17 budget continues that work.  It provides the tools to support proven policy initiatives and substance abuse prevention being carried out in communities across the state.

I hope this webpage provides helpful information about the FY17 budget and its impact on the Second Worcester District. You may view the budget by clicking on the link below to the Legislature’s website.  

Sincerely,

MICHAEL O. MOORE
State Senator
Second Worcester District
 

LOCAL AID

Fiscal Year 2017 Senate Budget

Auburn

  • Education Aid: $8,983,238

  • Unrestricted Aid: $1,646,647

Leicester

  • Education Aid: $9,661,287

  • Unrestricted Aid: $1,669,447

Northbridge

  • Education Aid:  $15,403,891

  • Unrestricted Aid: $2,029,585

Upton

  • Reg. Education Aid: $12,253,186

  • Unrestricted Aid: $511,914

Grafton

  • Education Aid: $10,827,425

  • Unrestricted Aid: $1,503,368

Millbury

  • Education Aid: $7,019,398

  • Unrestricted Aid: $1,702,613

Shrewsbury

  • Education Aid: $19,524,868

  • Unrestricted Aid: $2,678,416

Worcester

  • Education Aid: $235,402,232

  • Unrestricted Aid: $39,957,279

HELPING OUR REGION THRIVE

Funding for Local Initiatives Secured by Sen. Moore

Funding to assist the nonprofit organization CENTRO with providing community outreach and education efforts to the Hispanic senior citizens of Worcester.

$50K

$100K

To assist the Children’s Advocacy Center of Worcester County which strives to reduce the trauma to young people who may be victims of physical and/or sexual abuse.

Funding for Coes Pond in Worcester to help address issues relative to weed overgrowth.  The funds would be applied to chemical treatments, dredging, water chestnut removal and other practices to enhance the Pond and the area John Binienda Memorial Beach.

$50K

To establish a substance abuse treatment clinic in Shrewsbury for veterans.  The clinic will be operated by Veterans, Inc. and will be staffed by licensed mental health providers.

$50K

To support weed control efforts and public safety enhancements on Lake Quinsigamond.

$25K

Funding to assist with weed control efforts on Lake Singletary which is located within the Towns of Millbury and Sutton.

$25K

To assist with public safety improvements in the Town of Upton including funding to help the Town replace outdated defibrillators in police cruisers and fire trucks.

$27K

Funding to support a joint proposal for UMass Memorial EMS to provide tactical EMS support to the Massachusetts State Police STOP Team.

$60K

To support municipal improvements in the Town of Grafton including perpetual care of the community's war memorials and other projects identified by the community.

$47K

Funding for public safety improvements in the Town of Northbridge including an updated cross-match fingerprint and palm print system for the police department and new defibrillators.

$56K

To support a project by the Department of Public Works in the Town of Millbury.

$20K

 

$100K

To support the Dismas House, a nonprofit shelter and re-entry program located in the City of Worcester.  Dismas House provides case management, substance abuse recovery services, housing, health care and other direct services to homeless and former prisoners in Central Massachusetts.