Submitted by State Representative Kenneth Gordon
This week State Representative Kenneth Gordon (D-Bedford) joined his colleagues in the Legislature to unanimously pass legislation that provides essential local aid to cities and towns.
The unanimous votes override the Administration’s veto of $177 million in unrestricted general government aid (UGGA). The funds, originally included in the Legislature’s FY14 budget, mark the first increase in UGGA since FY10. The legislation provides $920.23 in UGGA, a $21.25 million increase from FY13.
“The House has taken decisive action to support the residents of Massachusetts by providing robust local aid and making responsible investments in our state’s infrastructure,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “By overriding the veto of local aid, we are ensuring that municipalities can protect key services and make crucial investments to advance the Commonwealth’s economic growth.”
“I am very proud of the work done by the Legislature to produce a final transportation finance bill and a strong budget that makes key investments in our core industries,” Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) said. “By restoring the local aid funding in this year’s budget, we are providing our cities and towns with the necessary resources to grow their local economies.”
“When I met with officials of all three towns in the district, they all told me a top priority was protecting local aid,” Representative Gordon said. “The votes we took protect our commitment to local aid, and with the cooperation of the Governor we will see an increase in funding for our roads and bridges.”
The House and Senate also cleared the two-thirds majority to enact a transportation finance plan that guarantees $805 million in new resources for the transportation system by Fiscal Year 2018 and includes all tax provisions assumed in both the House and Senate Fiscal Year 2014 budgets, generating $500 million in new tax revenue.
Both the local aid and transportation legislation are now passed into law.
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Tax, Tax, Tax! Please call it what it is. We will all pay more for gasoline now in Massachusetts, which as we all know disproportionately hurts lower income citizens, and drives away businesses even more. Too bad the legislature is too ignorant to realize this, and media like the Bedford Citizen refuse to call it what it is: A TAX INCREASE!! Taxachusetts lives up to its name once again. Why in the world would new businesses want to relocate here with their new jobs? Can the legislature answer that?